admin Erik ten Hag will need all the help he can get on Wednesday when Manchester United face Bayern Munich in their opening Champions League group stage game at the Allianz Arena.
Manchester United youngster Ethan Williams has been called up to the Red Devils’ 039 squad; The first team lineup before the Champions League game against Bayern Munich.
Williams, 17, is from Manchester and has emerged from the club’s academy to compete with United’s senior stars. The youth star, who scored three goals and provided two assists in six youth games this season, can play as an attacking midfielder or winger.
These are positions where the Red Devils currently have no options, which is why coach Erik ten Hag is including Williams in first team training. It is currently unclear whether the 17-year-old, who also trained with the seniors last week, will travel to Munich, but the possibilities seem likely.
Williams began his career at Rochdale and moved to United in November 2019. Since then, the Mancunian – who can also represent France at international level – has developed into one of the club’s brightest players, with talent and a team that believes in him. so much so that he also played for the Red Devils. U21 team in Premier League 2 and the Papa Johns Trophy.
Raphael Varane and Mason Mount, who missed Saturday’s embarrassing 3-1 home defeat to Brighton, are also expected to fly to Germany. Mount, who joined United in a £65million transfer deal in the summer, was ruled out due to an injury sustained after the Red Devils game. The second game of the season was played on August 19th.
Meanwhile, Varane missed one fewer game after being substituted at half-time in the 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest last month and returning to action a week later. That meant he was spared the 3-1 defeat against Arsenal and the subsequent humiliation in Brighton, but now France centre-back and England international Mount wants to return to the Allianz Arena. Meanwhile, new signing Sofyan Amrabat is training individually as he continues his rehabilitation from a minor back problem that has delayed his debut with the Red Devils as he moved on a timely loan from Fiorentina.
Midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, 18, is also training separately as part of his rehabilitation following an ankle injury in pre-season.
Still sidelined are left-backs Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia, veteran goalkeeper Tom Heaton and young forward Amad, while wingers Jadon Sancho and Antony are unavailable due to off-field issues. Ten Hag could’ve fielded an entire XI of injured players at one point, but now the treatment room is getting quieter.
There’s no letup in pressure, though, with United desperate to avoid a third successive loss. 2020 Champions League winners Bayern come into the game off the back of a dramatic 2-2 draw at home to Bayer Leverkusen on Friday, as Harry Kane scored before a 95th-minute equaliser from the away side.
