Manchester United are almost ready to unleash their strongest starting XI this season
The boys are back in town, the boys are back in town. I said, the boys are back in town.
Rasmus Hojlund and Mason Mount returned to full Manchester United training earlier this week and are in contention to make the squad to face Crystal Palace on Saturday.
United have sorely missed Hojlund in the first few weeks of the season and Mount was a key part of the tweaked pressing structure, so their returns are excellent news.
After picking up a hamstring injury in pre-season, Hojlund is yet to make an appearance in the new campaign and it will be great to see him back in action. United need a focal point and what Hojlund offers is unique - he stretches defences and has pace that Joshua Zirkzee doesn't.
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United might be conscious of easing Hojlund back into action, which is advisable after a muscle injury, but he is likely to start at Selhurst Park if the medical staff feel it's not a risk.
That is obviously a big 'if' and Hojlund might be named on the bench instead. However, the prospect of Hojlund starting down the middle, with Marcus Rashford on the left and either Amad or Alejandro Garnacho on the right is exciting and something for fans to look forward to.
Barnsley couldn't cope with United in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night. They are seventh in England's third division, but United's attackers were impressive, they ruthlessly took their chances with quality finishes and it gave Ten Hag a headache on who to start this weekend.
Rashford played centrally against Barnsley but is clearly better on the left, which leaves Amad and Garnacho to fight for the starting role on the right. The possibility of playing Rashford as a striker again versus Crystal Palace, which would allow Amad and Garnacho to start, has been mooted by some fans, but the evidence suggests he should start on the wing and Hojlund's return is another spanner in that plan.
Regardless of which players Ten Hag picks to start, United will have their strongest possible attacking options available and will have no excuses if they misfire in the capital city.
Crystal Palace hammered United 4-0 at Selhurst Park at the beginning of May. That was an embarrassing result and it felt like the final nail in the coffin for Ten Hag, so there is an extra incentive for United to perform this weekend, as they must right the wrongs of that night.
With the exception of Luke Shaw, they are set to have their strongest possible squad available and the return of the left-back seems like the missing piece of the jigsaw this season.
Although Shaw last played for United against Luton Town on February 18, he represented England in the latter stages of Euro 2024 in the summer. The 29-year-old sustained a calf injury at the start of United's pre-season and now shouldn't be too far away from a return to action.
After winning against Southampton and Barnsley, United must kick on and build momentum. There will be tougher games ahead and the next few matches in the league will be challenging, but the squad is almost at full strength and Ten Hag wasn't able to say that last season.
The conversation around Ten Hag and whether it was the correct decision to keep him began again after the defeat to Liverpool before the international break. United will play Palace, Tottenham and Aston Villa next in the league and that conversation will grow louder again if positive results aren't secured, especially since Ten Hag's options have been strengthened by the return of important players.
United are almost ready to unleash their strongest XI, which means no more excuses.