Manchester United's Europa League knockout-phase clash against Barcelona is an exciting one and highly anticipated by loyal Red Devils fans across the globe.
The resurgent Red Devils will be up against a rejuvenated Xavi Hernandez and Barcelona on Thursday in the Europa League knockout phase.
Manchester United's fans may be worried that the odds and statistics appear to be against them; however, there are more pressing issues ahead of the trip to the Nou Camp stadium in Spain.
Erik Ten Hag's side is set to miss the availability of five first-team players, including Bayern Munich's loanee Marcel Sabitzer. Anthony Martial and Antony have already been confirmed to miss the fixture due to injury; Scott McTominay is a doubt; Donny Van De Beek and Christian Eriksen are both long-term absentees; and Linsandro Martinez will sit out of the game due to suspension.
A returning Casemiro will bring the much-needed balance in the middle of the park. The Brazilian's presence was heavily missed by the team as he was serving a three-match ban following his sending off against Crystal Palace for violent conduct.
In the absence of Marcel Sabitzer and Christian Eriksen, Fred is expected to step up, while Scott McTominay will play another role from the Red Devils bench if he is passed fit for the fixture.
Erik Ten Hag's headache will be who to start in the heart of the defense. The Dutch tactician has over the course of the season played Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane as his first choice center-back pairing, while team captain Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof have always deputized as second fiddle.
He has played left back Luke Shaw as well as a center back on several occasions; he did that in their last game on Sunday, pairing the 27-year-old with Harry Maguire, while Raphael Varane got rested and Lisandro Martinez came on as a substitute.
Lisandro Martinez's absence from the visit to Spotify Nou Camp stadium on Thursday is a huge blow. The Argentine has formed a solid partnership with Raphael Varane and has generally had a great impact on the Red Devils' stable defense this season.
Erik Ten Hag still has the duo of Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof in his center-back ranks, but the Dutchman could opt to start Luke Shaw as Raphael Varane's canter-back partner on Thursday night.
When he first played Luke Shaw at the center-back position against Burnley after the team's defense was hit by injury, the England international did a good job giving Erik Ten Hag a wider selection of options for his defensive selection. The manager later explained the tactical influence of playing Luke Shaw in the center-back position.
"It is a big decision, but I think when you analyze the profile of (Erling) Haaland and the combination with (Kevin) De Bruyne, it was also the right decision," Ten Hag explained in January. "Because Luke has the physical power to compete with them and also has the tactical view to make the right decision and the technical skills to play in that position."
"So I think it matched really well, but I think in other games he can contribute even more on the left in the wide positions, so it’s a tactical choice, and we can see from game to game what we need." "And I think we have more players in our squad who have the capacity to be multi-functional, and we can use that as a weapon in games."
Harry Maguire is at a disadvantage as he hasn't been able to earn the manager's trust despite his classic performances during the World Cup tournament in Qatar last year. Meanwhile, Erik Ten Hag's left-footed center-back analysis is evident with the arrival of Lisandro Martinez, and the Red Devils have profited in terms of building possession from the back.
Luke Shaw might be the player to step up in the summer signing absence, as he has demonstrated he is up to the task as a center back. His brilliant performance against Erling Haaland during the Manchester derby is evidence. The left back will have to neutralize Robert Lewandowski, who poses a similar threat when Man United plays Barcelona.
Erik Ten Hag has shown what a tactical nous he has by playing several of Manchester United's players out of position; apart from Luke Shaw as a center back, he has played Victor Lindelof as a defensive midfielder and recently Wout Weghorst as a number ten. Given the way Erik Ten Hag has approached games this season, a Luke Shaw and Raphael Varane partnership will be more likely when the Red Devils face off with the Catalans.
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