Two Man United players give Erik ten Hag large selection headache for Liverpool clash

Two Manchester United players are likely to be giving Erik ten Hag a large selection headache ahead of the clash against Liverpool.

Manchester United have had a mixed start to the new Premier League season, securing a win against Fulham but suffering a last-minute defeat to Brighton.

In contrast, Liverpool’s new manager, Arne Slot, has enjoyed a strong start at Anfield, winning his first two matches of the season.

The two teams will face each other on Sunday, with a victory crucial for Erik ten Hag’s side before the season’s first international break.

Amad Diallo scored last time out against Brighton and is set to start once again on that right wing in this big game against Liverpool.

However, the other flank is much less obvious with Ten Hag needing to choose between Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho.

Rashford has started the opening three games of the campaign but has failed to properly impress.

Garnacho, meanwhile, has scored once and assisted another during his appearances off the bench. He should’ve also scored another if not for a bizarre offside situation against Brighton.

Many would argue that the Argentine must start the game due to Rashford’s underwhelming form so far.

Ten Hag has been supportive of the Englishman and could be trying to wait for things to click for him in front of goal. United are a better team when he’s in form; there’s no question about that.

However, more importantly, Ten Hag might also be thinking about the proven impact that Garnacho has when coming into games as a substitute.

The 20-year-old was a successful impact substitute during Ten Hag’s first season in charge but due to injuries and other circumstances, he quickly became an instant starter last season.

He needs to be somewhere in between this term, but Ten Hag needs to find the right balance to ensure he is rewarded for good performances.

Due to Rashford’s past experience against Liverpool – he has scored seven times against them – it seems likely that Ten Hag will stick with him and look to bring Garnacho in once again as an impact substitute.

Meanwhile, Joshua Zirkzee will likely replace the injured Mason Mount, with United reverting to a more natural setup with Bruno Fernandes moving back to being an attacking midfielder.

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