Left-back
It isn’t clear whether Luke Shaw will be available for this match, but with an international break coming up, it wouldn’t surprise anyone if he sat this game out. Patrick Dorgu and Noussair Mazraoui haven’t fully convinced as replacements, but neither has Shaw as a starter so far this season.
Shaw’s chemistry with Marcus Rashford has been on display, but there have been individual errors as well. There’s still a larger defensive problem that needs to be resolved before looking at individual performances,
but Fulham will certainly look to target this area. If Michael Carrick finds a solution to it in this game, it could set a template for the rest of the season.
Shea Lacey
The 19-year-old academy graduate scored his first goal for the senior team in midweek, and could help United find some balance in the forward line against Fulham. It’ll be a big decision to start him, but playing him from the start on the right might allow Michael Carrick to play Bryan Mbeumo upfront, his preferred choice.
Lacey, who is more similar to Amad Diallo in that he likes dropping a bit deeper and playing at a slower pace from the right, might help United keep possession in the final third, which is sometimes necessary. With Bryan Mbeumo leading the line, United don’t have to worry about stretching Fulham’s backline; he gets into better goalscoring situations than anyone else in the side and prefers playing on the last line anyway.
Subs
If Lacey starts, United will also have subs on the bench that have delivered under Michael Carrick: Matheus Cunha, Benjamin Sesko, and Mason Mount. No away game is easy, and United will need everything they can to get over the line. United are far from perfect, so calling on subs to change a game is given. These are some good players to call upon, and if they deliver, they’ll provide healthy competition to the starters.
