Confirmed: United XI v Saints
Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has named his starting XI for our first away trip of the 2021/22 season.
The boss has made two changes from the side that blew Leeds United away 5-1 on the opening day, as the Reds arrive at St Mary’s looking to make it two from two in the Premier League against Southampton.
Among the changes to the line-up is the inclusion of Nemanja Matic in midfield, with the Serbian taking the place of Scott McTominay, who has a slight knock, alongside Fred.
Like Matic, Anthony Martial was introduced as a second-half substitute at Old Trafford last weekend and he too is in from the off this time, in place of Daniel James.
Explaining the two changes, Ole told MUTV: “Of course we want to keep continuity but Scott is struggling with an injury, hopefully we can get half an hour out of him if needed.
“Anthony has looked sharp and he looked sharp when he came on and he looked sharp in the game we played against Burnley in the week, and he played well against these at Old Trafford last season.”
Solskjaer explains our starting XI v Southampton
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Joining Martial in attack is Mason Greenwood, Bruno Fernandes and Paul Pogba.
Raphael Varane is included on the bench for the first time following his unveiling in front of our home support against Leeds. It means both Varane and Jadon Sancho will have to wait for their first starts for the club, with the boss choosing to be patient for the time being.
“Of course you're tempted but we need to give them the foundation of the work," Solskjaer added. "Jadon played during the week, so he's more ready than Raphael. Raphael hasn't played football yet, but he's had a good week of training.”
For hosts Southampton, they have named an unchanged team from the one that lost 3-1 away to Everton on the opening weekend. Che Adams and Adam Armstrong will lead the line in a likely 4-4-2 system, with James Ward-Prowse in midfield and Theo Walcott on the flank.
MATCH LINE-UPS
Southampton: McCarthy; Livramento, Stephens, Salisu, Perraud; Walcott, Ward-Prowse (c), Romeu, Djenepo; Adams, Armstrong.
Subs: Forster, Walker-Peters, Redmond, Armstrong, Tella, Elyounoussi, Diallo, Bednarek, Valery.
United: De Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire (c), Shaw; Fred, Matic; Greenwood, Fernandes, Pogba; Martial.
Subs: Heaton, Dalot, Varane, Lingard, James, Mata, McTominay, Sancho, van de Beek.