Manchester United will enter the third competition of the season when they welcome FC Twente to Old Trafford for the first Europa League fixture.
Having already made progress in the Carabao Cup, the Europa League adds to a busy fixture list that will see the FA Cup added to it as well.
For a team that had an injury nightmare in 2023/24, it was refreshing to see Erik ten Hag learn from it and rotate heavily for the Carabao Cup game.
However, that was a game against League One opposition, and Europa League is more prestigious so the same shouldn’t be expected in this competition.
Having said that, there are still five players who’ll benefit the most from United’s participation in the competition-
Altay Bayindir
Ten Hag doesn’t rotate his goalkeeper generally, as Bayindir remained a perennial backup last season. His sole appearance came in the FA Cup last season as the manager elected to keep Onana in the team.
Now that the Onana is acclimatised to the league and doing well, it is fair to assume that Ten Hag will be more open to rotating and resting him for the odd game.
Bayindir has already matched his games tally of last season with his appearance vs Barnsley and he can expect to start a few more games in the Europa League.
Giving him the nod for the opening fixture against FC Twente, one of the more winnable Europa League games, wouldn’t be a bad idea.
Gabriele Biancheri
The Man Utd academy seems to be pulling wonderkids out of their pockets in recent years and Gabriele Biancheri looks set to be the next one.
He has been a serial goalscorer for the youth sides this season, being dubbed the “Next Chicharito” for his instinctive finishing skills and slight frame.
Considering how much United have struggled for ruthlessness in front of goal, Ten Hag could roll the dice and give him a few minutes off the bench in the odd game in the Europa League.
Many teams have often found stars in the making when they rotate in this competition and Biancheri could well be the next one if he makes an impact.
Harry Amass
Harry Amass has been a curious case as despite so much hype around him, Ten Hag hasn’t deemed him fit to be given a taste of first-team action.
The Barnsley game was an ideal opportunity but even that went by as he didn’t even make the bench. Having said that, it would be a huge surprise if he ends the season without making his first-team bow.
That bow could come in the Europa League where the pace of the game will be slower and the opposition more forgiving, at least for the league stage.
He has long been marked as a breakout star in waiting and Europa League could be the platform he uses to make good on that prediction.
Ethan Wheatley
After making his first-team debut last season, Wheatley has flown under the radar this year after the arrival of Joshua Zirkzee.
However, the academy striker has continued making his mark in the youth circuit, recently scoring for the U21s against Man City.
On the club website, he’s officially upgraded to a first-team berth and he trains with the senior regularly now.
The next step will be getting his first minutes in the senior team this season. Zirkzee is already too valuable to be overplayed and Rasmus Hojlund’s minutes need managing.
Enter Wheatley, who can provide a nice buffer of coverage minutes while making his own case for more in the future.
Harry Maguire
An established international outfielder with a perennial backup and three youngsters might seem like an odd choice but for Maguire, it makes perfect sense in this case.
The Englishman’s career at Old Trafford has been a story of resilience and comebacks, as he has soldiered through a barrage of criticism to carve a place for himself regardless of signings, managers, or results.
He did well this season too, before Matthijs de Ligt inevitably stepped up and grabbed that place next to Lisandro Martinez with authority.
However, with both those players needing managing, the opportunity is there for Maguire to not be just a backup, but a genuine competition for De Ligt.
That starts with putting in commanding performances in the Europa League, the tournament where he flourished as captain under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
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