Saturday 12 December 2015 09:13, UK
Louis van Gaal will be without nine first-team players for Manchester United's Saturday Night Football clash with Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium.
Chris Smalling and Matteo Darmian are the latest absentees having suffered injuries during United's Champions League exit at Wolfsburg on Tuesday.
The defenders join Antonio Valencia, Luke Shaw, Marcos Rojo and Phil Jones in the treatment room, while Wayne Rooney and Ander Herrera are also unavailable and Bastian Schweinsteiger is suspended having been charged with violent conduct.
Morgan Schneiderlin has recovered from a hip problem to boost United in midfield, but the lengthy absentee list leaves Van Gaal with a threadbare squad, so how will they line-up against Bournemouth?
David de Gea is unscathed and ready to continue in goal, but the injuries have hit their defence hardest. With Smalling, Jones and Rojo sidelined, Van Gaal might have to pair Daley Blind with the inexperienced Paddy McNair, who started their 0-0 draw with West Ham at full-back.
On the right-hand side of defence, the 22-year-old Uruguayan Guillermo Varela is set to deputise for Darmian having played the full 90 minutes against Wolfsburg. At left-back, Cameron Borthwick-Jones will be hoping to make his first Premier League start having been preferred to Ashley Young as a substitute on Tuesday.
Schneiderlin's return to fitness is timely given Schweinsteiger's suspension, and he could partner Michael Carrick in central midfield, with Juan Mata playing the No 10 role.
Anthony Martial will continue up front in the absence of Rooney, and on the flanks Memphis Depay is expected to start after returning to Van Gaal's XI against Wolfsburg, with Jesse Lingard the favourite to line up on the right.
That team would leave Young and Marouane Fellaini as the only experienced outfield players on the bench, with the likes of Andreas Pereira, Sean Goss and Nick Powell also set to feature in the matchday squad.
Watch Bournemouth v Manchester United live on Sky Sports 1 HD from 5pm on Saturday
