Two big decisions Erik ten Hag has for Man United’s Europa League clash vs Barcelona

Manchester United will host Barcelona in the second leg of their Europa League clash on Thursday, and Erik ten Hag has two big decisions to make for the game.

The two teams played out an entertaining 2-2 draw last week at the Nou Camp and many will hope that the game at Old Trafford brings upon a similar affair.

However, it’s expected that Xavi Hernandez’s team will not be as open in transition as before. They had conceded just seven goals in La Liga all season before United’s first encounter against them but were poor defensively on the night.

Ten Hag will need to make some big decisions ahead of the encounter. Two of those seem more important than most.

Diogo Dalot or Aaron Wan-Bissaka?

Deciding who plays at right-back is a difficult task for the manager. Aaron Wan-Bissaka started in the first leg and was regularly exposed, with Gavi moving inside and dragging the full-back around.

However, with the teenage Spaniard unavailable for the game, Barcelona could start Ferren Torres or Ansu Fati on their left wing. This could suit the 25-year-old – who has been in solid form since the World Cup return – more than the previous matchup.

On the other hand, Diogo Dalot was excellent for The Reds in the first half of the season but has yet to find his form since he returned from the World Cup with Portugal due to injury.

He has made a handful of appearances since then but has only shown glimpses of the important player we saw before the break in club football.

Ten Hag could ultimately be looking at the importance of build-up in this game though. Being unable to play out from the back led to Barcelona’s late equaliser in Spain and it seems that Dalot is the preferred option in this sense.

Who plays as the #10?

Bruno Fernandes, Wout Weghorst and Jadon Sancho could all be used as the number 10 in this game and despite the fact that it’s possible all three start the game together, the initial positioning and role of each player could be vital to the performance.

We saw that last week when Weghorst was utilised in the role and United were able to play one of their best games. This time, the Dutch forward is probably not the ideal option.

Sancho’s performance coming from the bench against Leicester City could spin the odds in his favour, although Fernandes seems like the same option with transitions looking to be key in the game.

All three could also be dodged if Ten Hag looks to play a more solid midfield in the game. A midfield three of Casemiro, Fred and Marcel Sabitzer would not be a massive surprise.

This game seems like it does not suit Weghorst playing up against the backline, too, which could mean he drops into the number 10 role to ensure United are safe out of possession. But it might be more likely that Ten Hag drops the 30-year-old to the bench.

It could be that Sancho and Fernandes rotate their roles and responsibilities on the night and move between the centre and the right. That seems like it could be the approach that Ten Hag takes but with all the different options, it’s a tough decision for the manager.