Manchester United will be hoping to rebound from their disappointing 3-0 defeat to Manchester City when they face Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup this evening – a repeat of the final from last season.
Of course, United won that match 2-0 and secured their first trophy for six years in the process but judging by the respective performances of both sides lately, the clash will be much closer.
There is no doubt Erik ten Hag is coming under some serious pressure due to the poor start the Old Trafford side have had to endure, winning only five of their first ten Premier League matches, while winning just once in three Champions League games.
This type of form simply isn’t good enough to satisfy the United faithful, who were clearly looking for the club to take the next step given how much of an impact the Dutchman made last term.
Going into a Manchester derby and starting 35-year-old Jonny Evans at centre-back, however, is a recipe for disaster, especially considering the funds United spent during the summer transfer window.
The Northern Irishman is the only player in the current squad to hold a Premier League winners medal, yet his display against City was underwhelming to say the least, and it highlights the massive gulf between the two teams.
Jonny Evans’ game vs Man City in Numbers
Evans’ performance was terrible to say the least and the only thing of note he did defensively was make four clearances during the match.
The defender failed to make a single tackle or interception, while he also contested four duels and failed to win a single one, showing how poor he was against players such as Erling Haaland, who clearly had a field day against the elder statesman of the United side.
To round things off, Evans also lost possession nine times while making two fouls and although Ten Hag is suffering from a host of injury problems in his squad, having to rely on a player who made just 14 appearances last season shows how poorly the club acted in the summer transfer market.
Raphael Varane could be an option for Ten Hag as he was an unused substitute for United on the weekend.
Raphael Varane’s season in numbers
The Frenchman has missed four games this season due to injury and while he didn’t make an appearance from the bench against City, Ten Hag is perhaps easing him back into the first team in order to not aggravate any more problems – despite suggesting that his absence was tactical last time out.
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Varane’s 93% pass success rate is one of the highest among the United squad in the Premier League this term, while he has also scored once and kept one clean sheet across six matches thus far.
The former Real Madrid titan has lost possession just 3.7 times on average during his time on the pitch along with showcasing his impressive physicality by winning 100% of his aerial duels and there is no doubt he would be a major upgrade on Evans when he is ready to step back into the starting XI.
That being said, Ten Hag could perhaps rest the experienced ace for the clash against Newcastle this evening ahead of more important matches to come, with there are a couple of academy talents who could come into the senior fold and stake their claim for a surprise run in the team. – Rhys Bennett being a key example.
Rhys Bennett’s statistics at youth level
The 20-year-old has yet to make a competitive appearance for the Old Trafford side, yet he was involved in a tie against Real Betis towards the end of 2022 as the club were gearing back up for the domestic season returning following the World Cup hiatus.
Teammate Tom Heaton even lauded the youngster as “excellent” after impressing against the La Liga side, and he appears to be highly thought of at the club despite his lack of first-team action so far.
Ten Hag did include him in the matchday squads for the matches against Burnley in the League Cup and the league tie against Nottingham Forest during the festive season and while he failed to emerge from the bench, journalist Samuel Luckhurst had plenty of praise for the young starlet.
He said: “Pleased for Rhys Bennett he is on the bench. Played well against Real Betis last week, impressed in the Youth Cup run last season, good character and a natural leader.”
His leadership qualities were on show a few months prior to this as he helped lead United to the FA Youth Cup in May 2022, even scoring in the final against Forest and if he continues to work hard and impress, a first team bow will happen sooner rather than later.
The centre-back has made 63 appearances across the U21, U19 and U18 youth teams at United, and he has gained plenty of experience over the previous few years.
The clash against Newcastle this evening represents another chance for United to move deeper into a cup competition and considering Ten Hag reached two finals last term, he clearly enjoys a knockout tournament.
With the struggles the Red Devils have endured this season however, the tie tonight gives the Dutchman a chance to potentially rotate his squad and give some players a rest ahead of more important ties, with a vital away trip to Fulham to come on Saturday afternoon.
Evans should certainly be ditched from the starting XI against the Magpies, especially if Ten Hag has any ambition of actually winning the tie, while it could well be too soon for Varane to make a return from the start, with a second-half substitution more likely for the 30-year-old.
This leaves the door ajar for a youngster like Bennett to come in and perform well, especially as he has nothing to lose in the process.
It would be an excellent experience for the defender and will give him the confidence that there is a proper pathway at United should he continue his wonderful development.
Ten Hag has a few big calls to make with regard to his starting XI tonight, but will Bennett be one of the young stars who is given an unlikely start? Only time will tell.
