Manchester United’s manager Erik ten Hag faced the difficult decision of omitting Marcus Rashford from the squad to take on Sheffield United at Old Trafford. Rashford, who had played the full 90 minutes in the intense FA Cup semi-final against Coventry City at Wembley over the weekend, sustained an injury during that match, rendering him unfit for the clash against the Blades. This unfortunate setback not only saw him miss out on the opportunity to participate but also delayed his milestone 400th appearance for the club, which would have been achieved in this fixture.

Injuries continued to plague Ten Hag’s selection process, particularly in defense, where several key players were sidelined. Antony earned only his second Premier League start of 2024, stepping into Rashford’s shoes. Despite pre-game speculation suggesting Amad Diallo might feature, it did not come to fruition. Moreover, Casemiro was tasked with filling in at center-back alongside Harry Maguire for the second consecutive game.

The defensive woes extended beyond Rashford’s absence, with a long list of defenders sidelined due to injury. This included Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez, Victor Lindelof, Jonny Evans, Luke Shaw, Tyrell Malacia, and Willy Kambwala, further complicating Ten Hag’s team selection.

In midfield, Christian Eriksen was reintroduced, potentially reflecting a shift towards a possession-based style under the guidance of new technical director Jason Wilcox. Despite being a pivotal player last season, Eriksen has seen limited game time recently.

Several players, including Bruno Fernandes and Alejandro Garnacho, were nursing injuries from the previous match, but they were deemed fit to start. Meanwhile, Mason Mount remained absent after his recent return from a lengthy knee injury.

The injury crisis also impacted the depth of experience on United’s bench, with several young academy graduates making up the substitutes. Ethan Wheatley notably made an appearance, becoming the 250th academy graduate to play for the club.