Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says more rotation is expected at Manchester United this coming season.
A star-studded United side tore Leeds apart at the weekend, without players including Marcus Rashford, Raphael Varane, Amad, Anthony Elanga, and Edinson Cavani, all of who did not even make the bench due to injury or ineligibility.
A lack of freshness cost United down the stretch last season and Solskjaer hopes to utilise his squad better this season.
Solskjaer told the club website: “Of course there could be more rotation. We will be fresher. We will have to have a big and strong squad to be competitive in this league.”
One of the players he hopes will be vital is Jesse Lingard, who he insists will be key this coming season.
Solskjaer said: “Don’t forget Jesse Lingard who has re-invented himself and has come back the man that we know he is with the quality. He is going to play a big part as well.”
Lingard featured prominently in pre-season before testing positive for Covid, which kept him out of the opener.
The midfielder is still a monetary asset to United who the club could cash in on if a bid presents itself, but Lingard seems keen to stay, rather than push for a move, and Solskjaer looks set to give him another chance. Lingard scored nine goals in the second half of the season on loan at West Ham, proving his quality.
Soon to return
United hope to get Lingard back in training soon, possibly this week, and could get Dean Henderson back as soon as tomorrow.
Henderson has been out with fatigue from Covid, which he first suffered in early July.
Solskjaer said: “We will see how he feels and, hopefully, he can join in training on Monday. It is a big important test for him and we hope he is feeling better.”
Henderson will compete with David de Gea for the number one spot, but probably until the international break he will have to settle for being back-up for sure.
It is quite possible Tom Heaton is on the bench next weekend against Southampton too. It will all depend on Henderson’s fitness and how he acclimatises to his return to training this week.
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