Ethan Laird training at Astana Arena

Revealed: Shirt numbers for United's debutants

Wednesday 27 November 2019 21:30

Manchester United's squad for the away game against Astana in Kazakhstan is dominated by newcomers, with shirt numbers ranging from 41 to 71.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has already announced that three Under-23 players will make their first-team debuts by starting the Europa League Group L game - defenders Ethan Laird (no.41) and Di'Shon Bernard (no.58) and midfielder Dylan Levitt (no.63).

Seven other members of the 18-man party have yet to play in the senior side - goalkeeper Matej Kovar, defenders Teden Mengi and Max Taylor, midfielders Ethan Galbraith and Arnau Puigmal and forwards D’Mani Mellor and Largie Ramazani.

Kovar will act as cover for experienced stopper Lee Grant, who is the other starter confirmed by Solskjaer.

The full list of shirt numbers for the newcomers in our senior squad is as follows:

41 - Ethan Laird
47 - Arnau Puigmal
49 - D'Mani Mellor
51 - Matej Kovar
52 - Max Taylor
54 - Ethan Galbraith
58 - Di'Shon Bernard
59 - Largie Ramazani
63 - Dylan Levitt
71 - Teden Mengi

The Reds have already qualified for the knockout stages of the Europa League and the manager has left many of his senior players at home, sparing them the seven-hour flights to and from Nur-Sultan as he plans for Sunday's Premier League game against Aston Villa.

However, Luke Shaw is fit and available again after the hamstring injury he sustained against Crystal Palace back in August. Axel Tuanzebe and Jesse Lingard are also in the squad.

Luke Shaw is ready to make his first appearance since August.

As Ole has taken just an 18-man group to Kazakhstan, everybody is guaranteed at least a place on the bench for Thursday's game, which kicks off at 15:50 GMT.

Full squad: Lee Grant, Matej Kovar; Di’Shon Bernard, Ethan Laird, Teden Mengi, Luke Shaw, Max Taylor, Axel Tuanzebe; Ethan Galbraith, James Garner, Angel Gomes, Dylan Levitt, Jesse Lingard, Arnau Puigmal; Tahith Chong, Mason Greenwood, D’Mani Mellor, Largie Ramazani.

PREDICT THE LINE-UP

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