Man Utd outcast could be set for his Matteo Darmian and Phil Jones moment

Add as preferred source on Google

Manchester United have a dilemma this weekend with club captain Bruno Fernandes suspended to face Liverpool.

Bruno Fernandes is suspended for Manchester United’s clash with Liverpool this weekend. It is awful timing considering the team’s injury list, and Erik ten Hag should be furious with him for picking up such a cheap booking against Bournemouth.

Ten Hag’s energy has to focus more on solutions, how he might line his team up without Fernandes for Sunday’s match.

One left-field solution is to call on outcast Donny van de Beek. This has happened before, although not with success.

Manchester United’s Anfield troubles

Manchester United have form for throwing unwanted players ‘into the fire’ at Anfield.

This happened in Jose Mourinho‘s final game in charge, a 3-1 defeat. Matteo Darmian was selected at right-back in a surprise selection. It was only the fourth league games he was picked for that season.

Mourinho was subsequently fired and Darmian was used even less by replacement boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, before being sold to Parma, where he has rebuilt his career.

History repeated itself in April 2022, when Ralf Rangnick made the illogical decision to start Phil Jones at Anfield.

It was one of only two Premier League matches Jones started that season, and remains his final Manchester United appearance.

He lasted only 45 minutes before being taken off, with United losing the game 4-0.

Donny van de Beek on the fringes of the squad

Manchester United need a replacement for Bruno Fernandes, so could this be a ‘final hurrah’ for Donny van de Beek?

Well, there are other options, Scott McTominay, Hannibal, or Mason Mount if he is fit.

Donny van de Beek though has remained on the fringes of the squad, making the bench for recent matches. He has made two appearances this season. Don’t rule out a third this weekend.

Anfield has done strange things to Manchester United bosses, look at the selections of Darmian and Jones. Neither ended well. A desperate Erik ten Hag may end up over-thinking it this weekend too, haunted by last season’s heavy defeat.

Ten Hag recalled Raphael Varane in from the cold against Bayern in midweek. Van de Beek is there, as an option this weekend.

Perhaps not a very good option, but an option all the same. If he is able to somehow flip the form book and play a role in a Manchester United win, then his previously disastrous three-and-a-half years as a Red Devils player will quickly take on a different perspective, at least ending on a high.