United at the World Cup: Your group-stage guide
With the domestic season now paused, full attention can turn to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
United are well-represented at the tournament, with 14 current first-team players, plus two Reds who are out on loan, having been selected.
We've been covering each squad announcement as they happen, but in case you've forgotten, here is who will be involved in the Middle East.
Scroll down for all the fixtures dates and kick-offs too, so you can get planning ahead of a few weeks of virtually non-stop football...
ARGENTINA
Lisandro Martinez has been included in Lionel Scaloni’s 26-man squad for group games with Mexico, Poland and Saudi Arabia. The centre-back has won nine caps for the Albiceleste, since debuting against Venezuela in 2019, and could make a big impact for the fancied South Americans, who are captained by Lionel Messi as he makes his fifth – and possibly last – finals appearance.
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BRAZIL
United are the most-represented club for the early World Cup favourites in five-time winners Brazil. Casemiro and Fred, who both went to Russia in 2018, were coach Tite’s preferred midfield starters during their unbeaten qualifying campaign, while Antony scored twice in nine games following his October 2021 debut. Alex Telles, who is currently on loan at Sevilla, rounds out our Selecao quartet.
DENMARK
Christian Eriksen will take part in his third World Cup, after being selected by Kasper Hjulmand. The youngest player at the 2010 edition, our midfielder is now a 117-cap veteran and will be one of the key performers for the Danes, who reached the Euro 2020 semi-finals and are being tipped as dark horses after an impressive showing in qualification.
ENGLAND
Can the Three Lions top their stellar showings at the 2018 World Cup and 2020 European Championship? Harry Maguire, Marcus Rashford and Luke Shaw will hope so. Despite recent Nations League relegation, Gareth Southgate still has one of the tournament’s most talented squads at his disposal, although history could count against them: never before has an England side progressed to a major tournament final not held at Wembley.
FRANCE
Les Bleus are looking to become only the third nation to record back-to-back triumphs at the tournament and Raphael Varane has made the cut, despite being on the sidelines with a thigh problem for the last three weeks. Didier Deschamps’s squad is packed full of world-class performers, but they will have to do without the 2018 midfield axis of N’Golo Kante and Paul Pogba, with both players injured.
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THE NETHERLANDS
Managed by Louis van Gaal, who guided his home country to the semi-finals in 2014, the Oranje are back with a vengeance after missing out four years ago and will be confident of making it through Group A, which is rounded out by Ecuador, hosts Qatar and Senegal. Tyrell Malacia has been selected for his first major senior tournament, after an impressive start to life at United, and will compete with former Red Daley Blind for the left wing-back slot.
PORTUGAL
Like Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo is set for a fifth World Cup and, if he scores in Qatar, he will break another record by becoming the first player ever to net at a quintet of tournaments. At the other end of the scale, Diogo Dalot will experience his first finals, following a promising start to the campaign, while Bruno Fernandes deserves his place after scoring a brace to clinch the play-off victory over North Macedonia in March.
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TUNISIA
Hannibal has once again been selected for a major tournament by the Eagles of Carthage, after appearing at the Arab Cup and Africa Cup of Nations last winter. The young midfielder, currently on loan at Birmingham, caught the eye at the former and will be looking to continue his development as Tunisia face up to a tough-looking Group D, with games against Australia, Denmark and France on the horizon.
URUGUAY
Also in Group H with Portugal, Uruguay have claimed notable scalps at each of the last three tournaments and Diego Alonso’s squad marries youth with experience. Facundo Pellistri represents the former, with the 20-year-old representing his country seven times already, although he is still waiting for his United competitive debut.
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DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
Here’s your day-by-day guide to all the group-stage fixtures involving United players…
MONDAY 21 NOVEMBER
England v Iran (13:00)
Senegal v Netherlands (16:00)
TUESDAY 22 NOVEMBER
Argentina v Saudi Arabia (10:00)
Denmark v Tunisia (13:00)
France v Australia (19:00)
THURSDAY 24 NOVEMBER
Uruguay v South Korea (13:00)
Portugal v Ghana (16:00)
Brazil v Serbia (19:00)
FRIDAY 25 NOVEMBER
Netherlands v Ecuador (16:00)
England v USA (19:00)
SATURDAY 26 NOVEMBER
Tunisia v Australia (10:00)
France v Denmark (16:00)
Argentina v Mexico (19:00)
MONDAY 28 NOVEMBER
Brazil v Switzerland (16:00)
Portugal v Uruguay (19:00)
TUESDAY 29 NOVEMBER
Netherlands v Qatar (15:00)
Wales v England (19:00)
WEDNESDAY 30 NOVEMBER
Australia v Denmark (15:00)
Tunisia v France (15:00)
Poland v Argentina (19:00)
FRIDAY 2 DECEMBER
Ghana v Uruguay (15:00)
South Korea v Portugal (15:00)
Cameroon v Brazil (19:00)
All times in GMT.