Manchester United defenders get the green light for Premier League season opener

Manchester United boss Erik Ten Hag has given the green light in terms of fitness to his defenders Harry Maguire, Matthijs De Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui ahead of the Premier League 2024/25 season opener against Fulham.

United’s 2023/24 season was heavily curtailed by injuries, especially in defence and the signings have shown that. Both De Ligt and Mazraoui joined the Red Devils earlier this week from Bayern Munich for a combined fee of £60m. Interestingly, both the players have already played under Ten Hag at Ajax and that is where they captured the attention of the world. This is a continuation of the somewhat curious transfer formula that United keep using – of almost exclusively buying players who have been previously managed by Ten Hag.

It is expected that Mazraoui will be called upon to make his debut right from the start against Fulham, deputising for the injured Luke Shaw. In fact, although the Moroccan is a right back by nature, given how frequently United’s left backs Shaw and Tyrell Malacia are injured, he might see a lot of minutes on the left.

De Ligt has been at Juventus and Bayern Munich since his Ajax days but his stock has only fallen. He will look to remind the footballing world of his qualities while in the Premier League. He is expected to start on the bench in this one though.

United are likely to go with Diogo Dalot at RB, Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez as the two CBs and Mazraoui as the LB against Fulham.