One Manchester United player returns for the Arsenal clash, Carrick’s starting lineup may change! Key role exposed in set-piece defense

Manchester United right-back Noussair Mazraoui arrived back in Manchester Monday night. Insider reports confirm he resumed full training on Wednesday, making him likely to feature against Arsenal. Carrick receives a boost ahead of another top Premier League showdown. De Ligt and Zirkzee, two Dutch players, remain the probable absentees as they missed Wednesday’s training due to injuries.

At Manchester United, Mazraoui is hailed as a "Swiss Army knife" due to his positional versatility. Over more than a season, he has played five different positions under three different coaches, including the number 10 role assigned by Ten Hag! Regardless of where he plays, Mazraoui has consistently been a reliable player for United, regularly delivering solid performances rated around 7 out of 10.

During the Africa Cup of Nations, Mazraoui shifted to left-back because Morocco, the host nation, boasts the world’s best right-back, Achraf Hakimi. He played 628 minutes in the tournament, effectively neutralizing opponents including his Manchester United teammate Mbemo, helping Morocco reach the final.

Morocco conceded only one goal in the group stage and just one in the knockout rounds, but unfortunately lost 0-1 amid controversy in the final, missing out on the title. This outcome may have impacted Mazraoui’s morale. However, upon returning to Manchester United, he must fight hard to secure a starting position.

In the 2-0 victory over Manchester City, right-back Diogo Dalot’s performance was underwhelming. Notably, early in the match, he stomped on Jeremy Doku but was fortunate to avoid a red card. Regarding this decision, Premier League referees’ chief Howard Webb insisted that VAR’s non-intervention was correct.

According to Webb, although Dalot’s action was forceful, actual contact was minimal, so VAR assistant referee Craig Pawson did not urge referee Anthony Taylor to upgrade the yellow card to a red. "Players on the field didn’t react strongly to the challenge," Webb said. "VAR’s role is to determine if a yellow card decision is clearly wrong. Many cases fall into a gray area requiring consideration of multiple factors. This was one such instance."

Webb added, "Although the contact was on the knee, we must also consider speed, power, and intensity. In the Premier League, serious fouls warranting red cards usually involve these elements. His foot touched the knee, but the speed and force appeared low. It’s a subjective judgment, and I’m not sure it was excessive force. Therefore, in doubt, the benefit goes to the player. I fully agree that once the on-field referee makes a call, it should be respected without interference."

In Manchester United’s away match against Burnley, home defender Kyle Walker also stomped on the fallen Patrick Dogu but was not sent off. In fact, whether such actions receive a red card depends largely on the referee’s discretion at the moment; either decision can be justified.

Thus, many believe Carrick will deploy 28-year-old Mazraoui as the right-back in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Dalot’s retention of a starting spot may hinge on two factors. First, the Manchester Evening News revealed that after returning to Manchester, Mazraoui was granted an extra two days of rest by the club. Having played 120 minutes in both the semi-final and final for Morocco, he expended significant energy. Manchester United intends to assess his fitness before Carrick decides if he will feature against Arsenal.

Dalot’s other advantage is that he participated in Carrick’s first match managing Manchester United, a 3-2 win over Arsenal. Among that starting lineup, only Dalot, Bruno Fernandes, and Maguire remain. In the game against Manchester City, Carrick opted for the 32-year-old veteran Maguire instead of the younger Eden Havertz or the expensive talent Roni Yoro.

Maguire is expected to continue starting against Arsenal because De Ligt is still injured, and Manchester United needs the aerial presence of their "big man" to handle Arsenal’s set pieces! Another defensive player Carrick places high hopes on is goalkeeper Senna Ramses.

Although the Belgian goalkeeper, who joined for £18 million, showed a stunning debut, his subsequent performances have seemed less remarkable. But that’s typical for goalkeepers—they often appear unassuming, which is actually a positive sign indicating no major mistakes. One statistic shows Ramses faces shots with an average expected goals value of 0.39, the highest among Premier League keepers, explaining why his saves may not always look spectacular since many shots he faces are difficult to stop.

Manchester United’s 0-1 home loss to Arsenal in the opening round was mainly due to their failure to score and goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand’s poor handling of aerial balls, which ultimately led to conceding. United’s set-piece threat now matches Arsenal’s, so Sunday’s match is expected to be physically intense with both sides posing threats from dead-ball situations. To defend against Arsenal’s set pieces, Manchester United needs a goalkeeper willing to come off his line and command the box. This is Beiranvand’s greatest weakness but one of Ramses’ key strengths.

Predicted Manchester United starting lineup vs Arsenal: Ramses / Mazraoui, Maguire, Lisandro Martinez, Luke Shaw / Cody Gakpo, Casemiro / Amad Diallo, Bruno Fernandes, Dogu / Mbemo.