Manchester United have named their official squad for the upcoming Europa League group stage.
United will face Astana, AZ Alkmaar and Partizan Belgrade home and away, as they look to progress in the tournament that offers a Champions League spot next season for its winners.
offered little in the way of surprises. Even forgotten men such as Eric Bailly, Marcos Rojo and Phil Jones were included — despite not playing a minute of football this season between them.
However there was a little consternation from United fans that Mason Greenwood, Angel Gomes, Tahith Chong and James Garner were not named in the squad, which comprises an A list (a limited number of foreign players), a list of club-trained players and those who have been developed by the English system but not by United.
Homegrown players under the age of 21 don't have to be included, for them to play. Clubs can use an unlimited number of youngsters they have developed themselves in the competition.
So the absence of Greenwood, Gomes, Chong and Garner that doesn't mean the quartet cannot play in the Europa League. Like many others in the United academy, such as Dylan Levitt and Brandon Williams, they can be used at any stage by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
United's Europa League squad:
A LIST
Eric Bailly, Diogo Dalot, David De Gea, Fred, Daniel James, Matej Kovar, Victor Lindelof, Anthony Martial, Juan Mata, Nemanja Matic, Marcos Rojo, Sergio Romero.
CLUB TRAINED
Jesse Lingard, Scott McTominay, Andreas Pereira, Paul Pogba, Marcus Rashford, Luke Shaw, Axel Tuanzebe.
ASSOCIATION TRAINED
Lee Grant, Phil Jones, Harry Maguire, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Ashley Young.
