Erik ten Hag reflects on new Man Utd selection 'headache'

Erik ten Hag says picking his squad to face Barnsley in the Carabao Cup is causing him a "headache" as players avoid injury to be in contention.

The Red Devils are set to host League One side Barnsley at Old Trafford on Tuesday, just days after securing a 3-0 win over Southampton in the Premier League.

The Dutchman's side will hope to progress far in the tournament in order to stand a chance of collecting silverware this season, having won the cup back in 2022/23.

But, Ten Hag, who had selection headaches for a different reason last season when numerous defenders were ruled out, has revealed new "headaches" around choosing the right team to deploy after confirming that a large number of players will be available for selection.

"They are all available," he said of Noussair Mazraoui, Matthijs de Ligt and Lisandro Martinez in his pre-game press conference. "They are good. I hope I have headaches because, last year, I also had headaches, but there were no players available.

"So, I hope I have many players available and we can make a selection from game to game. Definitely, we have to rotate because we have to cover so many games and so it's not only about a starting XI.

"Luke Shaw, he's progressing but not ready yet to be selected. We have a plan in our head when he can be ready but you are always dependent on how the progress will go. [As for] Ugarte, you will see tomorrow what the selection will be for this game."

United have endured a shaky start to the 2024/25 campaign, taking two wins and two losses from their opening four fixtures. After hosting Barnsley on Tuesday, Premier League action returns at the weekend with a trip to south London to face Crystal Palace on Saturday.

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