Confirmed: United's team to play Viktoria Plzen

Thursday 12 December 2024 16:30

The teamsheets have been submitted and Manchester United's XI to face Viktoria Plzen in the Czech Republic can now be confirmed.

Ruben Amorim revealed on Wednesday that he would select Tyrell Malacia from the off, and the Netherlands international will play his third game since returning from a long-term knee injury, at the Doosan Arena.

Malacia is one of five players introduced to the line-up after Saturday's 3-2 home defeat by Nottingham Forest, with Noussair Mazraoui also brought into the backline.

Whether the Morocco international is fielded as a central defender or a wing-back remains to be seen, but Diogo Dalot retains his place in the XI so there are options.

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Casemiro has also been included in the XI, as have Marcus Rashford and Joshua Zirkzee following cameos as substitutes at the weekend.

Amad will play in a more advanced role, looking at the options available, having almost exclusively been deployed as a right wing-back by Amorim so far:

“I think it’s important for us to have a player in that [attacking] position like Amad. Always I think it is a very good position for him," he told TNT Sports.

“He’s in a great moment and we’ll try to use it.

“You have to see [who will play up front],” he added. “I will not give anything. But if you can think about the Everton game, it could be flexible.”

The players to drop to the bench are Alejandro Garnacho, Rasmus Hojlund, Kobbie Mainoo, Manuel Ugarte and Leny Yoro.

Victor Lindelof has been selected in a matchday squad for the first time since early November, while Toby Collyer returns to the reckoning after a couple of months on the sidelines.

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United: Onana; Mazraoui, De Ligt, Martinez; Dalot, Casemiro, Fernandes, Malacia; Amad, Rashford; Zirkzee.

Substitutes: Bayindir, Lindelof, Maguire, Yoro, Mount, Eriksen, Ugarte, Mainoo, Collyer, Antony, Garnacho, Hojlund.

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