Manchester United will hope to record their first win of the season when they visit Grimsby to open their Carabao Cup campaign.
The match provides the Ruben Amorim with a selection conundrum. Ideally, he would rotate against lesser opposition, but after a slow start to the Premier League season, he could name a stronger squad as he eyes a statement victory.
An underwhelming 1-1 draw at Fulham last time out will have left the side low on confidence, and a win against League Two Grimsby could help get them on song.
Amorim has invested some £200million in bolstering his attack this summer, but after none of his new additions have found the back of the net in their first two Premier League outings. They need more time to gel, and could do so in this cup tie.
Bruno Fernandes could return to a more advanced position as a No10 alongside Matheus Cunha, with Benjamin Sesko making his full debut ahead of them.
The Slovenia international is under pressure to start scoring after moving from RB Leipzig, and will need plenty of time on pitch as he looks to bed in.
Fernandes sitting higher will open the door for Kobbie Mainoo to slot in. Amorim said at the weekend that the pair were competing for minutes, and he should be handed the chance to impress here.
An early round cup outing always serves as a good opportunity to see academy youngsters in action, too. Tyler Fredricson was left on the bench for the Fulham match, but may be in for a chance on Wednesday.
Altay Bayindir seems to have established himself as the club’s No1 in the League, but he could find himself dropped as he is reportedly closing in on a move away from the club. Andre Onana would be the natural stand-in.
Noussair Mazraoui and Lisandro Martinez remain the only injury concerns for Amorim.
Predicted Manchester United XI (3-4-2-1): Onana; Fredricson, Maguire, Heaven; Amad, Mainoo, Ugarte, Dalot; Fernandes, Cunha; Sesko
Injured: Mazraoui, Martinez
Time and date: 8pm BST on Wednesday, August 27, 2025
Venue: Blundell Park
How to watch: Sky Sports
