{"id":294675,"date":"2023-11-21T15:39:13","date_gmt":"2023-11-21T15:39:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportsloveme.com\/?p=294675"},"modified":"2023-11-21T15:39:13","modified_gmt":"2023-11-21T15:39:13","slug":"erik-ten-hag-can-stick-knife-into-everton-with-new-man-utd-duo-no-one-expected","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportsloveme.com\/soccer\/erik-ten-hag-can-stick-knife-into-everton-with-new-man-utd-duo-no-one-expected\/","title":{"rendered":"Erik ten Hag can stick knife into Everton with new Man Utd duo no one expected"},"content":{"rendered":"

Man Utd are making huge changes ahead of Sir Jim Ratcliffe coming into the club | Football Digest<\/h3>\n

Erik ten Hag could have a welcome returnee among his travelling squad when Manchester United visit Everton on Sunday. Luke Shaw looks set to return to fitness and may be part of a defensive partnership that no one could’ve predicted a few months ago.<\/p>\n

United travel to Merseyside as the Premier League’s form team, having won four of their last five games and their previous three away fixtures.<\/p>\n

It’s the first of a trifecta of crunch games on the road across seven days to start the long run of domestic football until the March international break.<\/p>\n

United will expect a hostile environment in the first outing since the Premier League docked Everton 10 points for a financial breach, leaving Sean Dyche’s side in 19th on four points.<\/p>\n

But Shaw’s comeback after being sidelined through injury since the second game of the season at Tottenham Hotspur is a huge boost bound to help United pick up some momentum.<\/p>\n

He may not feature at left-back against Everton, though. Instead, the 28-year-old could revert back to a central position to cover for long-term absentee Lisandro Martinez.<\/p>\n

Ten Hag utilised Shaw as a left-sided centre-back when he was without Martinez last season, and he impressed alongside Raphael Varane.<\/p>\n

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READ MORE <\/strong> Man Utd takeover hope debunked as Glazer update lands worrying reality check[TAKEOVER] <\/strong><\/p>\n

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In recent weeks, the United manager’s strict rules about which side his centre-halves operate on have restricted Varane to a bench role. Harry Maguire has started the last eight games on the right.<\/p>\n

Varane is low in the pecking order on the left, meaning Victor Lindelof started alongside Maguire and scored the winner in last Saturday’s 1-0 triumph over Luton Town at Old Trafford.<\/p>\n

Lindelof will likely retain his place to prevent Shaw from rushing his recovery. But with the Red Devils No 23 back in the fray, there is a chance he returns to action alongside Maguire.<\/p>\n

Shaw will gladly fill in if he’s needed. In December, he expressed how much he was enjoying the new role after his second successive central outing against Wolves.<\/p>\n

“We’ve got a lot of world-class centre-backs here, but I’m not going to lie, I’ve been really enjoying it,” Shaw told MUTV after the 1-0 win at Molineux.<\/p>\n