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Erik ten Hag rules out resting key players against Real Betis

sportsmole.co.uk, 15 March 2023, 20:12
Manchester United head coach Erik ten Hag has insisted that he will play 'his best team' in Thursday's Europa League last-16 second leg with Real Betis.

The 20-time English champions are in a strong position when it comes to reaching the quarter-finals of the competition due to their 4-1 success in the first leg of the contest last week.

As a result, there have been suggestions that Ten Hag could rest some key individuals, with Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez, Luke Shaw, Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford among those to play a lot of minutes in recent weeks.

However, Ten Hag has said that he will play 'his best team' in Seville, with the Dutchman also confirming that Casemiro would start, as the Brazilian prepares to start a four-game domestic ban against Fulham in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup this weekend.

"They will both play (Casemiro, Fernandes) because it's a very good opponent. Last week we had a good result but we have to go again and you need your best players, because we need a result, we need a win, then we need our best team," the Man United head coach told reporters during his press conference.

"It's always serious, we will play our best team. Definitely, we have to put up a team that can adapt during the game, we know our opponent can because they are a good team.

"They have really good players, they have a lot of variations, so we have to be aware of that and we have to be ready to go and battle with them."

Ten Hag was also asked whether Facundo Pellistri was in line for a start, with Antony and Alejandro Garnacho both out of the squad for Thursday's contest.

"We will see tomorrow," Ten Hag said when questioned on the Uruguay international, who is yet to start for the Red Devils.

""We have some options, we have (Jadon) Sancho, we have (Anthony) Elanga, we have Bruno, so we have several options but Pelle is definitely also one and he is doing really well lately when he came on."

Antony has not made the trip to Seville due to an illness, while Garnacho is set for an extended spell on the sidelines with the ankle injury that he picked up against Southampton in the Premier League on Sunday.

Anthony Martial is back in first-team training following a hip problem, but the France international is not yet ready to feature, while Christian Eriksen and Donny van de Beek remain out for the 20-time English champions with ankle and knee problems respectively.

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