Marcus Rashford and Mason Mount are two of the big names on show this evening as Manchester United take on Rosenborg in the first pre-season preparation game of 2024/25.
In addition to the stars who took part in Euro 24 and the Copa America, players such as Andre Onana, Victor Lindelof, Jadon Sancho, Mason Greenwood, Antony, and Amad Diallo did not make the trip.
Harry Maguire is still injured. Tyrell Malacia is still unavailable although he is back in individual training after a year’s absence.
This leaves very few regular first team squad members, but there are a couple of welcome returns for players who spent some or all of last season on loan.
One of those is Will Fish, who was superb for Hibernian in the Scottish Premier last time around.
He will partner Jonny Evans in central defense. They will be flanked by Aaron Wan-Bissaka and 19-year-old Sam Murray. Radek Vitek is in goal.
Hannibal is another player who was out on loan last term at Sevilla. He starts in midfield alongside Casemiro.
The two Ethan W’s, Williams and Wheatley, start the game. Williams will probably play left wing, with Wheatley up front.
Mount is likely to play in the number 10 role, with Rashford wide right.
Williams and Murray are surprise inclusions, with many expecting to see Harry Amass at left back and Toby Collyer in central midfield, with Hannibal further forward.
The Tunisian will be desperate to kickstart his flailing career this summer, either to put himself in the shop window or to convince manager Erik ten Hag he can be a valuable member of the squad.
As for Mount, a good pre-season is vital if he is to make up for lost time after an injury-ravaged 2023/24 left him frustrated for much of the campaign.
Rashford, meanwhile, has his own point to prove after an intensely disappointing campaign on a personal level. It may be too soon yet to discover whether the arrival of one of the greatest goalscorers in the club’s history, Ruud van Nistelrooy, will have had any effect on Rashford’s wayward finishing.
The team is as follows:
Vitek, Wan-Bissaka, Evans, Fish, Murray, Casemiro (c), Hannibal, Rashford, Mount, Williams, Wheatley
Substitutes: Harrison, Mee, Aljofree, Amass, Bennett, Jackson, Ogunneye, Collyer, J. Fletcher, Mather, Oyedele, Scanlon, Ennis, Hugill.
Kick off in Trondheim is at 5pm BST.
Our first line-up of pre-season 👊
Head to #MUTV for live build-up and match coverage from 16:00 BST 📲#MUFC
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 15, 2024
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