Manchester United return to Premier League action against arch-rivals Liverpool at Anfield this weekend.
The Red Devils have not won at Anfield since 2016, when Wayne Rooney scored in a 1-0 triumph.
Despite this, they should go into the game with optimism, given Liverpool’s defensive woes this term.
Ahead of the derby, The Sun journalist Samuel Luckhurst has revealed that manager Ruben Amorim is considering the prospect of starting Manuel Ugarte instead of Casemiro in the number six role.
Ugarte did not travel for international duty as Uruguay head coach Marcelo Bielsa picked an experimental squad. Casemiro, on the other hand, played 90 minutes against South Korea and Japan for Brazil.
There were no surprises that the 33-year-old was given a break from today’s training session, but there is a genuine possibility that he could start on the bench during the North-West derby on Sunday.
Ugarte likely to start instead of Casemiro vs Liverpool
Casemiro has made five starts in the Premier League this term compared to Ugarte’s two. Despite this, Amorim could contemplate picking the latter against Arne Slot’s side this weekend.
The £39 million-rated star has failed to meet the high expectations since his move from Paris Saint-Germain last year, but he has a higher work rate, and he is more mobile than Casemiro.
It was an apparent reason why Ugarte got the nod over Casemiro against Manchester City’s high press. With Liverpool having a similar playing style, the former looks primed to start at Anfield.
The main concern with Ugarte has been his tendency to lose possession. He will need to guard against that on Sunday as Liverpool will come out with a statement to make after recent results.
The Reds have lost three games on the bounce in all competitions, and will want a strong result. United, on the other hand, can pile more misery on them by inflicting a fourth-straight defeat.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com