Erik ten Hag has ‘got to start’ two Man United players in ‘must-win’ Southampton game

One pundit has claimed that Erik ten Hag has got to start two Manchester United players in their ‘must-win’ game against Southampton this weekend.

The Reds have struggled at the beginning of the season, with just one Premier League win from their first three matches.

A 3-0 defeat to rivals Liverpool came after a last-minute loss to Brighton. While the opening win over Fulham offered some promise, Erik ten Hag’s team still has plenty to address.

The international break provided Ten Hag and his staff a chance to reevaluate and make adjustments.

Their next match is this Saturday with a 12:30pm kick-off against Southampton.

Two United players must start says Merson

Former Arsenal player Paul Merson has addressed the upcoming clash for United and believes that Marcus Rashford and Joshua Zirkzee should be starting the game for Ten Hag.

“Even though Marcus Rashford is struggling at the moment, he still gets into my team. I would definitely play him in this fixture,” Merson told SportsKeeda.

“You’ve also got to start with Joshua Zirkzee. Ten Hag has to quickly identify his best team though.

“We still haven’t got a clue on how Manchester United will line up against Southampton and that’s a major problem.”

Must-win for Ten Hag

No matter how Ten Hag lines up, this already seems like a must-win for the Dutchman and his team. Southampton have yet to pick up a point after promotion from the Championship.

Yet, they cannot take this game lightly, and Merson suggests that it is a ‘nightmare’ fixture to play but still predicts the Reds will come through with three points.

“That’s exactly why it’s also a bit of a nightmare game for Erik ten Hag. This is a must-win game; there’s no two ways about it,” adds Merson.

“The challenge for Ten Hag is that his players only returned from international duty on Thursday and they are in action in the early kick-off on Saturday. That means just one session on Friday before they hit the road.

“I still think Manchester United have enough to win here though. They have a good couple of fixtures after this game and a win here could help them get back on track.”

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