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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
Liam Wood

Tuanzebe starts as Manchester United fans name 10 changes they want to see to line-up vs Villarreal

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been urged to stick with Axel Tuanzebe as the Manchester United manager prepares to name his starting line-up against Villarreal.

Having sealed a runners-up spot in the Premier League ahead of their final day trip to Wolves, United were able to rest key players such as Luke Shaw and Bruno Fernandes in time for the Gdansk showpiece.

Indeed, it was a much-changed starting XI that took to the field at Molineux on Sunday afternoon.

With that, supporters have already been provided with an indicator as to how Solskjaer might set his team up tonight (8pm kick-off).

In the almost-certain absence of captain Harry Maguire, due to ankle injury, it's been a straight shoot-out between Tuanzebe and Eric Bailly to partner Victor Lindelof at the heart of United's defence.

Tuanzebe appears to have won that battle in the eyes of Manchester Evening News readers - who have named the 10 changes they want to see vs Villarreal.

Goalkeeper - David de Gea

As difficult as this decision is on any given day, manager Solskjaer has already shown his cards when it comes to who will be handed the gloves in Gdansk. Having displaced long-serving David de Gea this term, Dean Henderson has stepped aside during latter Europa League ties. A final place awaits for the Spaniard, but will it also prove to be his farewell appearance for United?

Defenders - Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Victor Lindelof, Axel Tuanzebe, Luke Shaw

Had captain Maguire been passed fit for this one, the United back-four would have picked itself tonight.

Wan-Bissaka and Shaw, who has been named in the Three Lions' provisional squad ahead of the delayed Euro 2020 championship this summer, are stand-out and universal picks.

Despite their ongoing pursuit to find a long-term partner for Maguire, you would expect United to put their faith in Lindelof here, too, but his partner is where the biggest selection dilemma lies.

According to the fans, though, it should be academy graduate Tuanzebe over former Villarreal man Bailly.

Midfielders - Paul Pogba, Scott McTominay, Bruno Fernandes

Fred and Scott McTominay have both been utilised as a double pivot for large parts of this season - but fans here are calling for something they've wanted to see for some time.

One of two survivors from the 2017 showpiece that harbours a realistic chance of starting, the role that Paul Pogba assumes tonight remains up for debate.

Will it be in central-midfield, or as one of the wider options? As part of an attacking line-up chosen by our readers, the French World Cup-winner returns to his trademark position.

Forwards - Mason Greenwood, Edinson Cavani, Marcus Rashford

In real terms, this area of the pitch maps out a 'three from four' scenario for Solskjaer - depending on how Pogba is deployed against the Spanish opponents.

Mason Greenwood heads into the showpiece in razor-sharp form, having scored eight goals in his last 13 games across all competitions.

While he has been used sparingly from the start in this season's Europa League, experienced striker Edinson Cavani has come to the fore in the second half of the campaign - and he averaged a goal or an assist every 35 minutes on the road to Gdansk.

Supporters are calling for those two to be joined by Marcus Rashford on this occasion.

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IN: De Gea, Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Shaw, McTominay, Pogba, Fernandes, Greenwood, Cavani, Rashford.

OUT: Henderson, Williams, Bailly, Telles, Matic, van de Beek, Mata, Amad, Elanga, James.

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