Manchester United will begin their pre-season schedule next Wednesday when they face Championship side Leeds United in Norway.
The clash with the Whites in Oslo will mark the first of eight friendlies United will play ahead of their Premier League opener against Wolves on August 14, seven of which are set to be fulfilled by the first-team squad. United will play two friendlies ahead of jetting out to the United States for their pre-season tour in just under a fortnight, facing Lyon seven days after taking on Leeds.
Just like pre-season is for any club, it will be a period for United manager Erik ten Hag to experiment and take risks that he would not usually be able to in a competitive environment. It will also be a period for players to build up their fitness levels and any new signings to adjust to a new way of playing.
As things stand, Mason Mount will be the only new addition United take to the States with them, with his move from Chelsea now finalised. Further signings, however, could be made prior to the tour.
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Nevertheless, Mount's arrival at Old Trafford will give Ten Hag the opportunity to experiment with his midfield options and perhaps test out a handful of different combinations. MEN Sport has taken a look at six different midfield combinations the Dutchman could trial over the coming weeks.
Casemiro, Mount and Fernandes (1)
On the face of it, this will be United's strongest midfield trio. Many expect Mount to take Christian Eriksen's spot in the No.8 position and roam between both boxes, supporting Casemiro defensively and Bruno Fernandes offensively.
Mount's defensive numbers are a lot more encouraging than Eriksen's and he can operate in a deeper role and dictate proceedings. He is the ideal foil for both Casemiro in the defensive role and Fernandes in the most advanced midfield berth.
Casemiro, Fernandes and Mount (2)
The same trio but a different setup. Though Casemiro's role would not change in this system, Ten Hag could be tempted to switch the roles of Mount and Fernandes, pushing the former higher up and tasking the latter with dropping deep.
Fernandes, on several occasions last term, dropped deep and influenced games as a secondary playmaker. Receiving the ball from the defence, he has the ability to turn and then instigate attacks from deep, while Mount is no stranger to playing as a No.10.
Casemiro, Eriksen and Fernandes
Though Mount is now through the door at Old Trafford, there is nothing to say that Eriksen will suddenly stop having an important role to play. He excelled in his first season in M16 and added competition for a starting berth could work in his favour.
Eriksen excelled in the No.8 position and he could easily do the same again alongside Casemiro and Fernandes in the engine room. It is almost certain that United's strongest midfield from last season will appear again during pre-season.
Casemiro, Eriksen and Mount
No player in Europe's top five leagues played more minutes than Fernandes last season, meaning the arrival of Mount will boost his chances of earning a deserved breather more frequently. Mount, though many expect him to feature predominantly in the No.8 berth, will be able to fill in for the Portugal international in the attacking-midfield spot.
Should he do that, Mount would have the knowledge that Casemiro and Eriksen could accompany him in the engine room. It is the combination that could be the most likely to appear if Fernandes gets injured or is handed a suspension.
McTominay, Eriksen and Mount
The addition of Mount to United's pool of midfielders will give Ten Hag more scope to mix things up now and again, particularly in cup matches. Though uncertainty continues to surround Scott McTominay's future at the club, it is possible he could still have a part to play in some capacity, certainly if Fred departs.
McTominay is probably the closest replacement to Casemiro, though he is not at the same level defensively, meaning he could accompany Eriksen in one of the two deeper midfield roles. That could allow Mount to operate as the No.10 and pull the strings.
Casemiro, Mainoo and Fernandes
As cited above, pre-season is a time for experimenting and taking the odd risk. Therefore, it would not be unreasonable for Kobbie Mainoo to be handed a chance or two to impress.
The youngster made tremendous strides last season and deserves a chance in pre-season to see if he can become even more involved with the first team. Allowing him to express himself alongside the likes of Casemiro and Fernandes, occupying a box-to-box role, would do him no harm.
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