This week, Man Utd kicks off its Europa League campaign, giving a lot of unproven players an opportunity to shine.
Against Sociedad, Cristiano Ronaldo ought to start for United.
Cristiano Ronaldo asked to leave Manchester United this summer because the idea of spending another season in the Europa League did not appeal to him. However, on Thursday night, he will probably start the team's first match in the competition.
No elite club would ever relish the opportunity to compete in the continental club second-string competition, despite the fact that the end result is very alluring. This fact cannot be ignored.
The last trophy won by United was in the Europa League in 2017, therefore they are not in a position to turn down the chance to win trophies in any competition.
The Champions League football that comes with a win is the second carrot on the end of the stick. Even though United has won games against Liverpool and Arsenal, results can change and a top-four finish is far from guaranteed.
The group stage, however, is peculiar in that it seems to have little significance. There may be a little outburst of dissatisfaction if United loses to Real Sociedad on Thursday night.But there will be plenty of games that can be won against opponents who are far more favorable in the long run.
Due to this peculiar dynamic, it can be difficult to keep people motivated, but Erik ten Hag should be able to do so by making use of the squad's depth, which should be demonstrated later this week.
There is a very real possibility that Ronaldo and Casemiro will be in the spine of the side that begins on Thursday night as a result of United's outright failure to sell unwanted players this summer. Fred, a midfielder for Brazil, is almost certain to make the team, and Dutchman Donny van de Beek, if healthy enough to play again, is a strong candidate to play in offensive midfield.
If not, promising youth and Iraqi international Zidane Iqbal will be itching for another chance to play for the senior team.
The most intriguing lineups, however, are in defense, where there is a strong argument for making significant adjustments and switching to a brand-new back five.
Martin Dubravka might make his goalkeeping debut, and club captain Harry Maguire will undoubtedly be called back up in front of him. Victor Lindelof, whose stock has slowly declined over the course of the summer, will be hoping for a rare start of his own.
The full-back positions might also be filled by Luke Shaw and Aaron Wan-Bissaka, which could lead to a potential resurgence of the back-four Ole Gunnar Solskjaer stayed with for the majority of his management career.
Although it appears highly unlikely that Ten Hag will alter his entire starting lineup for Sociedad's visit and it's possible that an injury will restrict his options, there will be plenty of chances during the group stage to do so.
It's only advantageous to have strength in numbers if everyone believes they have a chance to play on the field at some time, and this season, the Europa League may prove to be more of a benefit than a curse.
Casemiro, Fred, Van de Beek, Wan-Bissaka, Maguire, Lindelof, Shaw, Garnacho, Elanga, and Ronaldo might be in United's potential Europa League starting lineup.
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