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Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag is considering switching up his side’s attack for Sunday’s Premier League clash at Leeds, with Wout Weghorst ’s starting place at stake.
United completed the signing of Weghorst from Burnley on loan until the end of the season to fill the void up front left by Cristiano Ronaldo’s acrimonious departure before the World Cup. The 30-year-old has subsequently started all seven matches for Ten Hag’s side since his switch.
However, the Dutch international’s solitary goal for his new club came in the EFL Cup victory at Nottingham Forest. He has been given a run of games in a central attacking position with Anthony Martial currently sidelined through injury.
Yet Weghorst struggled to make an impression against Leeds in the midweek Premier League draw and he was replaced before the hour mark. Jadon Sancho and Facundo Pellistri replaced Weghorst and Alejandro Garnacho as United changed their attack – which resulted in them scoring twice to rescue a point.
Those changes allowed in-form striker Marcus Rashford to switch into a central position, with the returning Sancho occupying his place on the left-flank and Pellistri impressing in a rare opportunity on the right.
Weghorst managed just four successful passes in the final third of his hour-long appearance at Old Trafford while just one of those came in the Leeds penalty area. Furthermore, he won just two of his four duels during the game and generally struggled to make an impression.
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A report in The Sun has suggested that the Dutch striker will now be taken out of the firing line for Sunday’s trip to Elland Road. With Martial likely to once again sit out the game, that may mean that Rashford will play centrally – as he did for the final half-hour on Wednesday, in which he scored.
Ten Hag said of Rashford this week: “He has unbelievable focus at this moment. He is in such a flow, he brings it to every game on the pitch. If he has that energy, those levels, he will score goals.”
That is also likely to allow Sancho to make his first start for United since October with the winger appearing in fine fettle, bagging United’s equaliser at Old Trafford in a promising showing which suggested he was well on his way to a return to form.
Stand-in captain Bruno Fernandes said of the England international: “Jadon is getting back, he’s getting his minutes, and got his goal. It will hopefully be a big boost for him and for us for the rest of the season because we need everyone at their best.”
Source:Daily Mirror