Selection headache for Erik ten Hag against Crystal Palace as Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford has regained his form and showing efficiency in front of goal. With three goals and an assist in the last few games, the Dutchman faces a problem he would prefer to face all season. For the first time in three years, Manchester United appears to have excellent depth in their attacking lineup for the first time in three years.
Who Will Play Upfront Against Crystal Palace?
In the upcoming Premier League clash against Crystal Palace, a fixture Manchester United have found tricky in recent years. Last year, they were crushed 4-0 by Crystal Palace, which was the cherry on top of a disastrous season for United. However, Manchester United went into this fixture with huge confidence as they bounced back from two straight defeats, including a 3-0 thumping at the hands of Liverpool at Old Trafford. United scored ten goals in the last two games, and several players are returning from injury to add more depth to the squad.
Against Crystal Palace, Erik ten Hag will have to determine who gets the start. A difficult decision to make because Marcus Rashford appears to hit top gear again as we’ve seen in previous years he is a player who thrives on confidence which he’s certainly not lacking right now. Alejandro Garnacho appears to be Manchester United’s most lethal forward this season, with seven goals. He assists already in six appearances, but the Argentine does not start games, especially in the Premier League, and makes an impact coming off the bench. That might be something Ten Hag ponders now.
Players Coming Back from Injury
This is a further selection conundrum for Ten Hag and a test of his capacity to lead a team with depth, especially in attack, when most of the forwards seem to be in top form. The 21-year-old Danish footballer Rasmus Hojlund returns from a lengthy hamstring injury that has kept him out for almost 50 days already. Hojlund was Manchester United’s top scorer last season, scoring 16 goals in all competitions. Although he is back in training, it is unlikely that he will feature against Crystal Palace.
Another player who had a strong start to the 24/25 campaign but was sidelined due to injury, Mason Mount is back in training, giving Manchester United more depth in the midfield. Mount is a versatile player and can operate on the wings as well as a false nine if needed. The Englishman also might not feature against Crystal Palace. A big positive for Manchester United as the degree of competitiveness in the attacking areas forces players to give their all at practice and in the minutes they will receive, so we are yet to see who will get more playing time.
More Notable Names Ahead of Crystal Palace Clash
Amad Diallo, another name that looks to have secured the right wing with a dominant performance against Southampton, provided an assist. Joshua Zirkzee scored in the opening game against Fulham on his debut and has not found his form in front of goal since then. Still, the Dutchman has been doing everything else, pivotal in almost every attack Manchester United orchestrates while he’s on the pitch. The ideal front three is a significant task for the Dutch coach. With Crystal Palace still looking for their first win of the season in the Premier League, the task seems to get even more difficult considering the Red Devil’s form.
Erik Ten Hag has a difficult task in keeping the squad and the starting 11 balanced with Marcus Rashford finding his confidence back, Garnacho looking extremely lethal every time he plays, Amad Diallo locking the right wing spot, and Zirkzee showing flashes of why he was Bologna player of the year the previous season. Will Ten Hag use Rashford as a striker against Crystal Palace to make up for Zirkzee’s form in front of goal? Alternatively, he might merely do it to include Argentine Garnacho somewhere on the team due to his exceptional form. Exciting days ahead for Red Devil fans, something which they are not used to in recent times.
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