Man United to keep hold of two out-of-favour players to maintain squad depth

Manchester United face Bournemouth on Tuesday evening knowing that victory could move them into third place in the Premier League table. 

The Red Devils currently sit fourth in the table – two points behind third-placed Newcastle United – but they will leapfrog The Magpies if they beat Bournemouth and Eddie Howe’s side lose to Arsenal.

Since returning to Premier League action after the World Cup, United have beaten both Nottingham Forest and Wolves, with Marcus Rashford’s performances particularly impressive.

Erik ten Hag has been without Lisandro Martinez, who has returned from Qatar late after winning the World Cup with Argentina, but the Dutchman’s choice of deputy for Martinez has surprised many people.

Against both Forest and Wolves, Ten Hag has opted to play Luke Shaw as a makeshift centre-back alongside Raphael Varane, rather than using Harry Maguire.

The England international has struggled for consistency at club level over the past 12 months, but his performances for The Three Lions in Qatar looked to have earned him another chance to impress for United.

Ten Hag appears to disagree, though, and speculation had been building that the defender could leave the club this month.

According to The Mail, though, Maguire will be kept at Old Trafford in order to maintain the club’s squad depth.

McTominay won’t be allowed to leave Old Trafford this month

Maguire, 29, started United’s first two games of the season before being dropped after poor performances, and he has only started one league match since then.

Ten Hag has decided to keep the defender, alongside midfielder Scott McTominay, for the remainder of the season to avoid a lack of cover in defence.

McTominay, 26, had established himself as a regular for United over the past 12 months, but he has only started six league games this season and appears to have fallen behind the likes of Casemiro and Christian Eriksen in the midfield pecking order.

The Scot is contracted to United until the summer of 2025, but it had been suggested that he may move on following the £70 million arrival of Casemiro from Real Madrid.

Maguire’s current deal is also set to expire in 2025, but it remains to be seen whether or not the ex-Leicester City man can regain his starting spot at Old Trafford.