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Thursday 07 November 2024 09:45
Three first-team players could return to the Manchester United bench for Thursday night’s Europa League meeting with PAOK.
Antony, Christian Eriksen and Mason Mount have all been working at Carrington with the main group this week, after missing recent matches due to injury.
Ruud van Nistelrooy hopes to have the trio available at Old Trafford, as the Reds look to record a first win in this season’s competition.
“Yeah, it’s looking that we’re going to add some people to the bench that were injured before,” our interim head coach told MUTV’s Mark Sullivan.
Watch Ruud’s PAOK preview Video
Watch Ruud’s PAOK preview
MATCHDAY Q&A | Ruud van Nistelrooy on Yoro, returning players and what he expects from Greek champions PAOK…
“We just trained. We’re going to check how things are.
“Hopefully we can get Eriksen and Mount and Antony back in the squad.”
Mount hasn’t featured since the 3-0 home defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in late September, while Antony has been sidelined for the last three games, following our 1-1 draw in Fenerbahce last time out in Europe.
Eriksen has scored an impressive four goals already this season but had to miss Ruud’s two games in charge so far after picking up a knock against West Ham.
There has been a youthful look to our bench in recent days, with Harry Amass, Jayce Fitzgerald and Jack Fletcher included in matchday squads, and Ethan Wheatley introduced as a substitute for the Carabao Cup clash with Leicester City.
Ruud said their involvement was just reward for the hard work they have put in behind the scenes.
“I mean, I have to say the lads did really well in training,” Ruud explained. “They also were a part of pre-season.
“They’re still very young – 17-, 18-year-olds. They need time, but they showed already that they can help the team – like Ethan Wheatley.
“He came on in the Carabao Cup against Leicester as an 18-year-old striker. [He has] A lot of potential, but the others [do] as well. So we keep working with them as well.”
United have drawn each of our three matches in the Europa League thus far but will be looking to move up from 22nd in the table during November, with the visit of Bodo/Glimt following later this month.
This will be van Nistelrooy’s only continental match at the helm – Ruben Amorim arrives as new permanent head coach next week – and the Dutchman wants his players to build on the platform established against Leicester and Chelsea.
“In every game Manchester United plays you’re expected to win it, so there’s no difference there,” he said.
“But for us it’s a matter of performing, building on performances that the lads put on over the last two games, with that spirit, with that togetherness and that’s the foundation.
“Also, as I said after the Chelsea game, the qualities of the players will start to flourish.”
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Thursday 07 November 2024 09:45
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