Alvaro Fernandez has been included in a Manchester United matchday squad for the first time.
United take on Chelsea in the Premier League on Thursday and though any chance of finishing in the top four has now been extinguished they will still be aiming to put an end to a dreadful run of results. However, the task is made difficult by the fact that Ralf Rangnick is working with a severely depleted squad.
Edinson Cavani, Luke Shaw, Fred and Paul Pogba continue to be sidelined and they have been joined by Jadon Sancho, Harry Maguire and Aaron Wan-Bissaka. With so many injuries the interim manager has had to call upon several of the club's exciting prospects to make up the numbers.
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As a result, teenage left-back Fernandez has earned his first call-up to the senior side after joining in with first-team training this week. The Spaniard has impressed since joining from Real Madrid in 2020 and is enjoying a strong season with the Under-23s, having notched four goals and six assists.
Fernandez has joined his fellow youngsters Hannibal Mejbri and Alejandro Garnacho, who have been named on the bench in recent weeks, in the squad for the visit of Chelsea. Promising forward Shola Shoretire has also been recalled.
The 18-year-old made his debut last season, making three appearances, but has seen his progress stall this year. Shoretire has only been involved with the first team once in the current campaign when he came on as a second-half substitute in the Champions League group stage dead rubber against Young Boys in December.
Confirmed squad members to face Chelsea
Goalkeepers: De Gea, Heaton, Henderson
Defenders: Bailly, Dalot, Fernandez, Jones, Lindelof, Telles, Varane
Midfielders: Fernandes, Hannibal, Matic, Mata, McTominay
Forwards: Elanga, Garnacho, Lingard, Rashford, Ronaldo, Shoretire
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