While Jurgen Klopp has captains coming out of his ears, Erik ten Hag is struggling to find just one for Sunday’s Liverpool-Manchester United showdown at Anfield.
The home team have five international skippers in their dressing-room – Virgil van Dijk, Mo Salah, Wataru Endo, Dominik Szoboszlai and Andy Robertson – and Klopp wouldn’t be at all anxious if another senior player like Alisson or Trent Alexander-Arnold took the armband.
Ten Hag, poor thing, would adore to have so much choice. Given his irascible performance in the team’s 7-0 thumping of Merseyside last season, club captain Bruno Fernandes’ suspension may not seem like a huge loss, but it raises the question of who will captain the team going forward.
On Sunday afternoon, Erik ten Hag has a major choice to make regarding who should lead his team.
Due to injuries, Luke Shaw, Harry Maguire, Christian Eriksen, and Casemiro are likely to miss out. An obvious candidate Raphael Varane has had his own problems with the manager, and we’re still waiting on the most recent medical update regarding Marcus Rashford, the hometown boy who was unable to play against Bayern Munich due to illness.
Diogo Dalot and Antony are probably too impetuous, while Rasmus Hojlund and Kobbie Manoo are too young. I have a better chance than Jadon Sancho of captaining United.
That leaves veteran Jonny Evans and Scott McTominay as contenders in what would be a stunning comeback for either man.
On the day of the transfer deadline, McTominay, 27, was given the opportunity to join Fulham; it is believed that he, not Ten Hag or United, turned down the offer.
Given that McTominay only started two of United’s first 11 games this season and did not start any of the team’s final 13 games last season, it is reasonable to assume that he was ranked behind midfielders Christian Eriksen, Casemiro, Fernandes, and even recent £60 million acquisition Mason Mount.
But, Ten Hag has now made him one of the select few players who will always start. After his game-winning double against Chelsea, McTominay brought his impressive international form to Old Trafford. He is currently the club’s top scorer and possesses the drive and enthusiasm that some of his teammates lack.
It was noteworthy that McTominay, not Fernandes, sat beside his manager prior to the Bayern game and passionately defended the under-pressure Dutchman.
He declared, “The boys are firmly behind the manager.” Even though it has occasionally been toxic, it is not like the other managers. All we want is to perform well for the football team. That is all there is to it.
McTominay, who first enrolled in the academy at the age of five and signed his first professional contract ten years ago, has United in his DNA.
A heartfelt individual is precisely what Ten Hag needs as he approaches Anfield, plagued by setbacks, subpar performances, and whispers of discord within the team.
He doesn’t really have many options. Evans is among them. A part of United’s final championship team under Sir Alex Ferguson, he went on to play regularly in the first team at West Brom and Leicester before making an unexpected return to Old Trafford in the summer.
The 35-year-old, a relic from the last great United teams, has swiftly established himself as a respected figure in the locker room. Old Trafford fans enthusiastically chant “Jonny Evans is a Red,” and the Northern Ireland captain’s assist for Fernandes in the victory over Burnley demonstrates his continued skill with the ball.
Evans presented the club’s perspective in front of some of the broadcasting rights holders following the match following United’s defeat to Bayern, which caused the team to leave Europe.
Robson, Keane, Neville, Giggs, Vidic, and Rooney are just a few of the legendary captains in United’s history.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer stated that during his time as manager, two players declined the captaincy before he extended it to Harry Maguire, which makes the current cabinet appear empty.
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