Ralf Rangnick

Confirmed: United's team to face West Ham

Saturday 22 January 2022 14:00

Manchester United interim boss Ralf Rangnick has made just one change to his side to face West Ham this afternoon from the side who beat Brentford last Wednesday in the Premier League.

Harry Maguire starts again for the first time in the last four matches having been absent with an injury.

Maguire, who wears the captain’s armband against the Hammers, came on as a substitute in our 3-1 win at the Brentford Community Stadium in London, and replaces Victor Lindelof in the centre of defence as partner to Raphael Varane.

Lindelof wasn’t selected today after his home was burgled in midweek while our Swedish defender was on duty at Brentford.

His wife and children were at the family home at the time and following their traumatic experience Rangnick agreed with Lindelof not to call on him for the visit of West Ham to Old Trafford.

The starting XI against David Moyes’ side, who are in fourth position in the Premier League two points ahead of the Reds, sees Anthony Elanga make a second successive start.

Elanga opened the scoring at Brentford as an improved second half display saw United take the three points and get back to winning ways in the league for the first time in 2022.

There are returns to our subs’ bench for Jesse Lingard and Edinson Cavani.

A win for United woud see us leapfrog West Ham and intio the top four ahead of a mini break in the Premeir League.

Asked by MUTV how vital this match was Rangnick replied, “Very important [to win today], not only because of the break but also because of the situation in the table.

"We have to win the game to stay in the top flight and competing for the fourth place. This is what it’s all about today.”

For West Ham Tomas Soucek and Kurt Zouma return but there is no place in goal for Lukasz Fabianksi. He is replaced by Alphonse Areola who plays his first game in the Premier League since facing United last May for Fulham at Old Trafford.

United: De Gea; Dalot, Varane, Maguire (c), Telles; McTominay, Fred, Fernandes; Greenwood, Ronaldo, Elanga.

Substitutes: Henderson, Jones, Mata, Lingard, Matic, van de Beek, Martial, Rashford, Cavani.

West Ham: Areola; Coufal, Zouma, Dawson, Cresswell; Rice, Soucek; Fornals, Lanzini, Bowen; Antonio.

Subs: Randolph, Yarmolenko, Vlasic, Noble, Diop, Fredericks, Masuaku, Johnson, Kral.

 

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