Erik ten Hag has already chosen two first-choice wingers as Man Utd stalwart risks exile

Erik ten Hag faces a major selection dilemma when Manchester United host Fulham at Old Trafford to kick off the 2024/25 Premier League season on Friday night. It’s not out of the question that Marcus Rashford, a Red Devils stalwart since he burst onto the scene in 2016, starts the campaign as a squad player.

The 26-year-old has had a full pre-season after a miserable 2023/24 saw him excluded from Gareth Southgate’s England squad at Euro 2024.

And Ten Hag has backed him to rediscover his career-best form that produced 30 goals across the Dutchman’s first year at the helm.

“I think he was several times in very good positions, I am very pleased he is getting in those positions,” Ten Hag said after Saturday’s Community Shield defeat to Manchester City.

“He needs to keep going and keep making those movements and he will score goals. He is experienced enough to deal with this. Once he scores one, the goals will come.”

His comments followed Rashford squandering two huge opportunities at Wembley before United fell to an unfortunate 7-6 penalty shoot-out defeat against their bitter rivals.

But in the same match, Amad, arguably Ten Hag’s brightest player throughout pre-season, was, again, his most dangerous outlet on the right.

Earlier this summer, the Dutchman stated: “At the end of last season, he [Amad] had a very good time in our first team and played some good games. Now for this season, this has to be the year.”

He is expecting big things, and Amad looks ready to supply them. But his 59th-minute replacement, Alejandro Garnacho, wasted no time in reminding the world of his talents.

The 20-year-old, fresh off starting United’s last 38 games last term, staked a serious claim for a role against Fulham, crafting one of Rashford’s golden chances before opening the scoring.

Garnacho’s involvement at Wembley may have been his only minutes in pre-season, but they can’t be ignored when Ten Hag selects his team on Friday.

The United boss has already chosen Amad and Garnacho as his first-choice wingers, using the combination for the final three Premier League games last term at Rashford’s expense.

He could very well stick to that formula once the new league campaign gets going, leaving Rashford in an unfavourable position on the bench.

United’s No. 10 could play centrally while Rasmus Hojlund recovers from a hamstring injury and Joshua Zirkzee adapts to life in England.

But if Amad and Garnacho continue in their current vein, he will fall under serious risk of being exiled from the starting line-up.