Evening Standard
·7 November 2024
Evening Standard
·7 November 2024
Ruud van Nistelrooy has made a few changes for the must-win game
Ruud van Nistelrooy has made changes to the Manchester United XI for tonight’s Europa League clash against Greek side PAOK.
There are three alterations in total from the team that started the 1-1 draw against Chelsea at the weekend as Victor Lindelof and Jonny Evans are selected as the central defensive pairing with Matthijs de Ligt and Lisandro Martinez dropping to the bench.
The other change is in the forward line as Amad Diallo is recalled at the expense of Marcus Rashford and that’s likely to mean Alejandro Garnacho switches to the left-hand side.
Meanwhile, Bruno Fernandes back in the side after serving his one-game European suspension against Fenerbahce last month.
Elsewhere Antony, Mason Mount and Christian Eriksen are fit again after injury and have been named among the substitutes alongside youngsters Harry Amass, Jayce Fitzgerald and Ethan Wheatley.
As expected, Leny Yoro doesn’t make the matchday squad despite returning to training earlier in the week after picking up a foot injury during pre-season, and that means he is still some weeks away from making his debut.
United have drawn all three of their games so far, while they have won just one of their last 11 European games in total. Still, they have experienced a slight uplift under van Nistelrooy, putting five past Leicester in the Carabao Cup before their 1-1 draw with Chelsea on Sunday.
Manchester United XI: Onana, Dalot, Lindelof, Evans, Mazraoui; Ugarte, Casemiro; Amad, Fernandes, Garnacho; Hojlund
Substitutes: Bayindir, Heaton, Amass, De Ligt, Martinez, Eriksen, Fitzgerald, Mount, Antony, Rashford, Wheatley, Zirkzee.
PAOK XI: Kotarski; Jonny, Kedziora, Colley, Baba Rahman; Ozdoev, Schwab; Zivkovic, Camara, Taison, Tissoudali
Substitutes: Monastirlis, Balomenos, Michalidis, Thymianis, Sastre, Despodov, Bakayoko, Shoretire, Thomas, Chalov