Ole explains five changes to United side

Saturday 30 January 2021 16:30

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has named his Manchester United team to face Arsenal at the Emirates on Saturday evening.

Ole has made five changes to the side that lost out to Sheffield United in midweek.

Victor Lindelof returns to partner skipper Harry Maguire, while Fred and Scott McTominay are in the midfield engine room. Luke Shaw, who came on against the Blades, is at left-back while Edinson Cavani leads the line.

Ole’s pre-match interview Video

Ole’s pre-match interview

The boss explains the five changes he’s made to the side for today’s test against in-form Arsenal…

Solskjaer explained his changes at the Emirates: "That's the way it is this season - there are loads of games in a short space of time. It's not a reaction [to the result]. Luke was rested, Victor had a bad back on Wednesday and he's okay and Edinson, sometimes you just need to give him a bit of respite. And Scott and Fred are back in so there should be fresh legs. It's a team we feel will cause Arsenal some trouble. We've got the mix between the pace and experience.

“It's Arsenal," he stressed. "That should be enough [motivation]. We're away against a good team, we haven't done well here recently, but traditionally we've had some good games down here and the reaction, when you lose a game, is you always want to play again. And when you win, you want to play again. It's not a shock that you lose a game in the Premier League, it's about how you react." 

The Gunners make one change as they are without Bukayo Saka, who is injured, so Gabriel Martinelli is drafted into the side. New signing Martin Odegaard is on the bench.

THE TEAMS

Arsenal: Leno; Bellerin, Holding, Luiz, Cedric; Partey, Xhaka; Pepe, Smith Rowe, Martinelli; Lacazette.

Subs: Runarsson, Chambers, Gabriel, Maitland-Niles, Elneny, Odegaard, Willock, Willian, Nketiah.

United: De Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw; Fred, McTominay; Pogba, Fernandes, Rashford; Cavani.

Subs:
Henderson, Bailly, Telles, Tuanzebe, James, Matic, van de Beek, Greenwood, Martial.

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