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Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag could reportedly deploy Jonny Evans in a largely unfamiliar left-back position during the club’s upcoming clash against Brentford.
United are set to host Thomas Frank’s men at Old Trafford this weekend, in another crucial Premier League clash.
Ten Hag will be heading into the match with a number of selection headaches, particularly in the defensive department, where United are dealing with an injury crisis.
The Red Devils are currently without five defenders for the Saturday meeting. Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia are still out while they recover from their respective injuries.
Shaw last played for the club in February, while Malacia missed the entirety of the 2023/24 season with a serious issue that required at least two operations.
Harry Maguire will also not be available to Ten Hag for selection after he picked up an injury during United’s game just before the international break against Aston Villa. The England international indicated that he will be sidelined for multiple weeks.
Summer signing Leny Yoro also remains unavailable as he steps up his recovery from a setback sustained in pre-season. Like Maguire, full-back Noussair Mazraoui got injured during the Villa fixture. It later emerged that the Moroccan was subjected to a heart procedure.
In the absence of a natural and senior left-back, The Mirror reveals that Ten Hag is considering playing Evans in that position.
“Ten Hag has another enforced personnel headache in defence.”
“Ten Hag could play Evans at left-back, given the 36-year-old – man of the match in United’s 0-0 draw at Aston Villa before the international break – has played there before and move Dalot back to his favoured position at right-back.”
“Another option available to Ten Hag, with Shaw unlikely to be fit to face Brentford in what would be his first United appearance since February, would be to move Lisandro Martinez across to left-back and play Evans and Matthijs De Ligt in central defence.”
The other alternative for Ten Hag is to put Victor Lindelof at right-back, allowing Dalot to continue plying his trade on the opposite side.
Lindelof replaced Mazraoui at half-time against Villa and capably filled in for the Moroccan.
David McDonnell also notes that Ten Hag may choose to deploy Carrington academy graduate Toby Collyer at left-back. Collyer played on that part of the pitch during last month’s 7-0 thrashing of Barnsley in the EFL Cup.
Featured image Michael Regan via Getty Images
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