Manchester United will finally return to the UEFA Champions League on Thursday evening when they welcome Sabah FK to Old Trafford.
It has been a tough start for Michael Carrick as the permanent manager of Man United.
The Red Devils have collected just four points from their opening three league games, with two of those fixtures coming against newly promoted opposition.
United will turn their attention to Sabah, who are set to make their Champions League debut at the Theatre of Dreams.
With four matches crammed into just nine days, Carrick must carefully manage his squad and avoid running his key players into the ground.
Luke Shaw is one of the most injury-prone players in the United squad, making his workload a major concern.
The veteran left-back produced a superb assist for Benjamin Sesko against Everton, but Carrick should resist the temptation to start him again.
Patrick Dorgu must be given an opportunity to replace Shaw.
The Red Devils are a much stronger side on paper and are expected to dominate possession.
Dorgu is an explosive runner and will bring energy on the left flank.
Defending remains the weaker part of his game, but Carrick can afford to take that gamble if his side spends most of the evening playing on the front foot.
Dorgu’s presence at left-back could also give Marcus Rashford or Matheus Cunha greater freedom to drift inside, knowing an overlapping outlet is ready to provide width.
The £29.4 million-rated ace must learn from his late mistake against Everton, when he charged forward to press the opposition alone during stoppage time.
With United protecting their lead in the dying moments, Dorgu would have been better served holding his position and helping the defence see out the game.
The 21-year-old is still developing and mistakes like that are part of the learning curve.
Carrick should now give Dorgu another opportunity to prove that he has what it takes to become a regular presence at Old Trafford.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com