Solskjaer announces his team to play Villa
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has reverted back to the majority of his Manchester United side that played in the Bramall Lane thriller against Sheffield United last weekend to face Aston Villa in the Premier League today.
A young Reds squad were defeated in the Europa League on Thursday night in Kazakhstan against Astana but, back in England and league action, the boss has named 10 of the 11 who played in the dramatic 3-3 draw in Yorkshire and were spared the near seven-hour trip to Nur-Sultan.
From the match with the Blades, Phil Jones, who was substituted at half-time at Bramall Lane, makes way for Juan Mata as Solskjaer goes back to a four-man defence after playing a three-man rearguard last Sunday.
It’s a third successive Premier League match at left-back for 19-year-old Brandon Williams, who is keeping the experienced former Villan Ashley Young on the bench again. Jesse Lingard, who scored and captained the young Reds in Astana on Thursday, is on the bench to face Villa manager Dean Smith’s side.
Luke Shaw started for the first time in midweek since sustaining a hamsgtring injury in August and is also among the subs.
Defender Harry Maguire skippers United.
United: De Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire (c), Williams; Andreas, Fred; James, Mata, Rashford; Martial.
Subs: Grant, Shaw, Tuanzebe, Young, Garner, Lingard, Greenwood.
Aston Villa: Heaton, Guilbert, Konsa, Mings, Targett; McGinn, Luiz, Hourihane; El Ghazi, Welsey, Grealish (c).
Subs: Nyland, Engels, Elmohamady, Nakamba, Lansbury, Trezeguet, Kodjia.