“We’ve got to look forward, we’ve got to move this club forward and find something within ourselves, within the group to find that focus and mentality to produce a good performance tomorrow and get the result we need for this club.”
Harry Maguire has set the precedent for life beyond Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, starting under Michael Carrick's interim rule against Villarreal on Tuesday night.
An inevitable-looking defeat to Atalanta in Bergamo prior to the international break would have seen United drop to third in Group F, but so fine are the margins that Cristiano Ronaldo's late goal salavaged a huge point to propel his side top of the standings. No matter, matchday five defeat in Spain would see the reds in a perilous predicament and on the verge of exit once more. Let's be frank, it would be unforgivable for a club of this caliber to drop out of the Champions League at the group stage for the second successive year.
Villarreal are currently dead level with United on seven points at the head of the table (behind on head-to-head), with Atalanta only two points adrift of the pair and hoping to capitalise on the encounter in Spain as they take on Young Boys in Bern. Since losing in crushing fashion to a late Ronaldo winner at Old Trafford to cap off September, Villarreal have recorded a duo of European wins against Young Boys to build on their opening day point against Atalanta.
Domestically, Villarreal have since fallen a place to 12th in La Liga. The 'Yellow Submarine' has sunk somewhat to sustain three league losses after a plethora of early-season draws saw Unai Emery's side unbeaten coming into the last encounter with United, with the Spanish manager insistent on staying despite heavy links with Newcastle United following their Saudi-backed takeover last month.
Talisman Gerard Moreno, who wasn't involved at Old Trafford in September, hasn't featured for Villarreal in a month due to a hamstring issue. Serge Aurier is similarly unavailable having joined the club from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer, though not through injury but through ineligibility for the group stage campaign. Also formerly of Spurs, Juan Foyth has recently returned from a muscular issue. However, doubt has been cast over the fitness of goalkeeper Sergio Asenjo as well as three important starters - Etienne Capoue, Arnaut Danjuma and Paco Alcacer - from the encounter in Manchester almost two months ago.
There are a few things to report on by way of team news on the United front. Lee Grant and Phil Jones have both somewhat puzzlingly travelled to Spain even though they are ineligible due to not being included in the named Champions League squad for the season. Frenchmen Raphael Varane and Paul Pogba remain absent with their respective muscle issues, whilst Edinson Cavani remains out with his tendon problem. Luke Shaw suffered what appeared a recurrence of his concussion against Watford, whilst Mason Greenwood continues his isolation having tested positive for Covid-19. Harry Maguire is available as the suspension picked up at the weekend only applies on a domestic basis.
The squad appears as follows: David de Gea, Dean Henderson, Tom Heaton, Lee Grant; Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof, Eric Bailly, Phil Jones, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Diogo Dalot, Alex Telles; Nemanja Matic, Fred, Scott McTominay, Donny van de Beek, Bruno Fernandes, Jesse Lingard, Juan Mata; Amad, Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial, Cristiano Ronaldo.
The prospect of Carrick's selection sparks certain intrigue, with the possible prospect of diversion from some regular names often regarded as Solskjaer's 'favourites'. Could there finally be another opportunity for Donny van de Beek to appear from the outset? All shall be revealed.
"My thought process and mindset is preparing the team for tomorrow night, give my best. This club has been my life for an awful long time now. It’s the sacrifice and dedication that you've got to get and you've got to give and I’m prepared to do that. However long it takes, I’m prepared to do that for - whether it's one game, whether it’s two games or a stretch longer than that."
"As long as club want me I will give my best."
It's the start of a new dawn, commencing under Carrick's temporary charge in less than 24 hours.
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