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Manchester United made a statement with a resounding Premier League win against arch-rivals Leeds United in their opening game on Saturday. Bruno Fernandes and Paul Pogba ran the show at Old Trafford, with three goals and four assists for the duo respectively.
The win came after new signing Raphael Varane was unveiled before kickoff in front of a packed Old Trafford to an incredible reception for the Frenchman. The day got even better for Manchester United fans as Jadon Sancho made his debut for the club in the Premier League.
Premier League giants Manchester United have excellent squad depth
Saturday's win against Leeds came without the help of a host of first-team players. Manchester United scored five goals without the likes of Marcus Rashford, Edinson Cavani, Anthony Martial, Jadon Sancho and Donny van de Beek on the pitch.
This clearly shows the incredible depth Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has at his disposal for the Premier League and other cup competitions. However, this leaves out a whole bunch of players that may not feature prominently this season.
Here's a look at 5 such players Manchester United should use scarcely in the Premier League this season:
#5 Andreas Pereira
Since coming through the academy, Andreas Pereira has had a difficult few years at Manchester United after being promoted to the first team. The Brazilian has found it difficult to enjoy regular game time in the Premier League and recently went in search of first-team football to Granada and Valencia on loan.
After his excursion to Spain, Pereira had a brief spell back at United where he had a sporadic role and failed to impress again. This was followed by another loan spell at Italian side Lazio, where he featured in 26 league games but failed to nail down a starting spot last season.
The midfielder is currently back at United but it looks highly unlikely he'll feature for the Red Devils again due to the sheer competition for places.
The Belgium-born midfielder will look to move to greener pastures for regular game time with both Everton and Brazilian club Flamengo interested in snapping him up on loan. However, Manchester United are reportedly holding out for a permanent move to offload him.
#4 Jesse Lingard
Another attacking midfielder at Manchester United, Jesse Lingard, found gametime hard to come by at Old Trafford last season. Bruno Fernandes's form made him undroppable and Lingard was unimpressive for the most part when he featured for United.
This forced the United academy graduate to look elsewhere to play regular first-team football with Euro 2020 fast approaching.
David Moyes and West Ham United showed interest and Lingard's fortunes were turned upside down in an inspiring loan move.
From a bench warmer at Manchester United to the Premier League's most in-form player at West Ham, Lingard thrived at his new club in the second half of last season. The Englishman took off from the get-go and never looked back and also won the Premier League player of the month for April.
The midfielder is currently back at United, but despite being in the form of his life, looks unlikely to feature regularly with multiple options available in his position for Solskjaer.
West Ham and a host of other clubs in the Premier League and abroad are interested in securing his services. A move away from Old Trafford makes sense for Lingard if wants to be involved regularly. As things stand, Manchester United are not expected to hand him enough chances at Premier League level.
#3 Nemanja Matic
The Manchester United midfielder was one of the best Premier League players in his position at his peak but with age catching up, Nemanja Matic has endured a decline. Although pace was never his strongest suit, the 33-year-old seems to be struggling with the demands of the Premier League now.
However, the Serbian definitely has enough in his tank to feature for Manchester United during cup games or weaker opposition in the Premier League. Matic could also be a great rotational player in case injuries trouble the club.
The double-pivot at United is currently occupied by the formidable duo of Fred and Scott McTominay. There are also rumors of Manchester United being involved in the market for a new midfielder. As such, Matic could feature a lot less this term.
#2 Juan Mata
Juan Mata fits the same category of players as his teammates above, with the Spaniard not close to what used to be his best version as a player. Last season, the midfielder saw his minutes reduced considerably, featuring only in cup games and a few games in the Premier League.
The 33-year-old has been forced to play on the right wing for Manchester United, a role not suitable anymore owing to his lack of pace.
Considering the arrival of Jadon Sancho and the development of youngsters Amad Diallo and Anthony Elanga, Mata is not expected to enjoy regular involvement in the Premier League.
However, Mata will be a great influence to have in the dressing room to nurture these young talents in the right direction.
After signing a one-year contract extension at Manchester United, there are rumors that Mata will move to an ambassadorial role at the Premier League club when the deal runs out.
#1 David De Gea
David De Gea's days as Manchester United's numero uno could be numbered. Having just completed 10 years at the Premier League club, the Spaniard has undoubtedly been a loyal servant at Old Trafford.
He's been incredible between the sticks at Manchester United, saving points for the team with his excellent positioning and reflexes.
De Gea was the best player at the club for an extended period of time. But recent performances have been quite the opposite, with his errors leading to goals and losing points.
His distribution isn't the strongest and the Spaniard is not the most commanding in his box either. Add to this the emergence of Dean Henderson, and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has a young and hungry goalkeeper ready as a replacement.
The former Atletico Madrid custodian is currently the highest earner at Manchester United, making it difficult to offload him. The arrival of veteran goalkeeper Tom Heaton further signifies that De Gea's spot could be in jeopardy if he does not endure a serious upturn in fortunes.
