Danny Murphy has urged Erik ten Hag to recall Marcus Rashford and hand him the captain’s armband for this afternoon’s crunch Premier League clash against Liverpool.
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The Red Devils return to the scene of last year’s 7-0 thrashing licking their wounds following their humiliating midweek Champions League demise.
With skipper Bruno Fernandes suspended and Harry Maguire injured, United’s beleaguered manager must pick stand-in captain to lead his side ahead of a daunting test of his side’s metal.
Former Liverpool midfielder Murphy believes the absence of Fernandes, given his lack of tactical discipline, may well end up being a blessing in disguise and will allow him to pick a more compact midfield trio.
Murphy, meanwhile, has advised Ten Hag restored Rashford to the starting line-up after he missed the defeat against Bayern Munich through illness and is confident he would benefit from being given extra responsibility.
‘If I’m Ten Hag fighting for my job, I am putting Rashford straight back in the team after illness — with the armband,’ Murphy told the Daily Mail.
‘I’m sure some fans won’t like it given his disappointing form this season but a manager’s job is to get his best players playing. Rashford is one of them so take a risk, give him extra responsibility and see how he does.
‘It’s not as if Antony or Garnacho are undroppable. Garnacho has been great this season but looked jaded of late. But he might still be worth deploying on the right so Rashford can go into his preferred position on the left.’
On Fernandes’s absence, he added: ‘The United captain’s suspension makes the manager’s game-plan easier. Bruno is a great player but to shoehorn him into the team at Anfield, Erik ten Hag would have needed to play him out wide.
‘Without him, United can be more solid with a midfield three of Sofyan Amrabat, Kobbie Mainoo and Scott McTominay, and have pace on the flanks for counter-attacks by Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho and Antony.
‘If Bruno occupied one of those positions, he wouldn’t be quick enough in transition and this way McTominay can get forward to support Rasmus Hojlund.’
MORE : Andre Onana ‘not happy’ with Manchester United form but laughs off doubts over his ability
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