Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos Set for Manchester United Debuts
Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos are poised to step properly into the Manchester United spotlight this weekend, with both expected to make their competitive debuts against Hull City.
Santos, the £50million summer arrival from Chelsea, has already felt like part of the furniture in pre-season. He featured in all six friendlies, rarely looking off the pace, and that workload points strongly towards a starting role in the heart of midfield on Saturday afternoon.
Tielemans’ route has been different, but no less significant. The Belgian joined up later after a mandatory three-week break following the World Cup, where he helped Belgium reach the quarter-finals. Any rust looked shaken off in the final friendly against AC Milan, where he completed the full 90 minutes and showed enough sharpness to convince Michael Carrick he is ready.
Carrick, preparing for his first full campaign as permanent Manchester United head coach, now has the option of rolling out the same midfield that began the 4-2 defeat to Milan in Poland. That would mean Santos and Tielemans operating behind captain Bruno Fernandes, who is set to resume his favoured No 10 role, pulling strings between the lines.
Defensive Lineup
The real uncertainty sits behind them.
At centre-back, Lisandro Martinez’s lack of match fitness has opened the door for youth. Ayden Heaven is pushing hard to start and could get the nod over Leny Yoro to partner Harry Maguire against one of Maguire’s former clubs. It would be a bold call, but Carrick has not shied away from trusting younger players.
Senne Lammens is expected to continue in goal, with Luke Shaw locked in at left-back. The right flank of the defence is less settled. Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui are locked in a straight duel for the starting spot, each offering something different: Dalot’s familiarity with the system against Mazraoui’s more aggressive, front-foot style.
Forward Options
Further forward, Patrick Dorgu has quietly become one of Carrick’s trickier puzzles. Before and after a cruel injury setback against Arsenal in January, he has been reshaped into a left-winger, adding direct running and width. That reinvention clashes with the natural territory of Matheus Cunha, who does his best work drifting in from that same left channel.
The knock-on effect is felt through the entire front line. With Benjamin Sesko not yet ready to start after a three-month lay-off, Cunha is likely to be asked to lead the line again as a central striker. That adjustment pushes Bryan Mbeumo back out to the right, restoring the balance of a front three that relies on his energy and delivery from the flank.
Carrick’s choices now will say plenty about how he wants this Manchester United side to look in his first full season: bold with youth, ruthless with reputation, and built around a new midfield axis of Tielemans and Santos.
