Man United host Newcastle United in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup at Old Trafford on Wednesday night.
In the immediate aftermath of Manchester United laying their hands on the Carabao Cup at Wembley back in February, this reporter praised Erik ten Hag for the respect he had shown towards the competition.
Though Ten Hag deserved plaudits for that, he was, at certain junctures during United's run to the final against tomorrow night's opponents, Newcastle United, unable to rotate because of a lack of strength in depth. He proved that he did not have huge amounts of trust in his reserve options, and that shone through in various rounds.
But following the standard that was set by some of his most senior players during Sunday's derby defeat by Manchester City, Ten Hag should rotate his pack against Newcastle on Wednesday night, breaking the trend of going with his most tried and tested players in cup competitions. The likes of Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford, if Ten Hag is brave enough, should be nowhere near the XI, opening the door for others to come into the side instead.
Yet Mount has not started any of the last three games, Casemiro has regressed at a concerning rate and Fernandes has contributed to just three goals all season. A shake-up is needed in that area against the Magpies, who are likely going to make changes themselves in an attempt to manage what is a busy schedule.
Should Mount and Hannibal be in with a shout of starting, so should Kobbie Mainoo. Back in the matchday squad for the first time since pre-season on Sunday, taking up residency on the bench, the academy graduate could be a crowd-pleasing weapon for Ten Hag to unleash.
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