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At the start of summer, there was an air of optimism at Old Trafford. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had promised to rebuild the Red Devils, and Manchester United prepared properly for the new campaign.
A 100 per cent record in pre-season added to the positivity, and the fans buzzed with excitement. United beating Chelsea emphatically on gameweek 1 further strengthened the mood at the club.
Sadly, things have gone downhill, as an away draw to Wolves and a home defeat to Crystal Palace followed. The optimism is somewhat gone.
The game against Southampton this weekend is vital for the Red Devils. A win will help the team settle down, easing frayed nerves. Dropped points would only add to the misery. Therefore, the Norwegian needs to make some important decisions. Here are 5 men who should be in his plans for Saturday.
#5 Fred
The Brazilian failed to break into the first team last season, as he struggled with life in a new league. With Ander Herrera gone, Fred has a realistic chance of staking a claim for first-team action this term.
However, the Brazilian missed the start of the club's pre-season tour due to personal commitments. He joined the squad in Singapore but was only used as a substitute for the remaining warm-up matches.
Fred needs to catch up, however, United's unexpected defeat at home to Crystal Palace might have opened a window of opportunity for the Brazilian.
Solskjaer has preferred to used Scott McTominay in a double pivot alongside Pogba so far, but against opponents who sit deep, the Scottish midfielder has looked ineffective. A ball-playing midfielder who can sit deep would certainly be useful.
Against PSG last season, the Brazilian showed he can play the deep midfield role with ease. Southampton might resort to counter-attacking tactics, therefore, United will require someone with guile to break them down.
In a double pivot alongside Pogba, the Brazilian would provide much-needed quality either from the start or as a substitute.
#4 Brandon Williams
Luke Shaw picked up a hamstring injury against Crystal Palace and is ruled out for some time. In his absence, Manchester United skipper, Ashley Young, is expected to start against Southampton. However, the Red Devils do have the perfect replacement for Shaw in their ranks - Brandon Williams.
The young left-back is not new to the United faithful. The Englishman travelled with the team to face PSG in the Champions League, however, he wasn't in the matchday squad. Williams is a right-footed left-back who is extremely fast and loves going forward. He would suit Solskjaer's tactics well. Additionally, he is versatile and can operate on either flank.
He has captained United's under-18 squad on quite a few occasions and has been on fire for the under-23s this season. Solskjaer should at least consider the youngster for the bench against Southampton.
#3 Angel Gomes
Manchester United currently have a dearth of creative players in the final third. Solskjaer has used Jesse Lingard as the playmaker for the first three games of the season, but the Englishman has failed to impress so far.
Lingard's lack of creativity has hurt United against teams which sit deep. Therefore, Solskjaer should look for an alternative. The Norwegian should consider Angel Gomes for the Southampton game.
The teenager has been on the fringe of the first team this term, as he impressed in pre-season, especially in the game against Spurs.
Gomes brings the perfect blend of creativity, speed, and guile to the table. He could be the perfect foil for the fast and furious attacking trio ahead of him. If selecting him from the start of the game is too much of a risk, Solskjaer should at least put him on the bench.
#2 Juan Mata
Manchester United have fielded a notably young side so far this season, and perhaps the only thing lacking is the right blend of experience, especially in attack.
Sir Alex was famous for mixing youth and experience very well in his teams, and this is exactly what Ole Gunnar Solskjaer needs to do right now. Juan Mata will complete this team and needs to be selected for the Southampton game.
The Spaniard is fantastic with the ball and is the only natural playmaker in the United squad right now. Against Southampton, Solskjaer will require someone to connect the midfield and attack. He needs to look no further than Juan Mata.
The Spaniard could work in tandem with Paul Pogba and would give Solskjaer's team much-needed creativity. Mata's eye for the pass, as well as his dead-ball expertise, could turn the tide in United's favour this weekend.
#1 Mason Greenwood
Anthony Martial is ruled out for the trip to Southampton. With the departure of Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez, the Red Devils are already out of experienced options in attack. However, this is the right time for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to finally give Mason Greenwood his first start of the season.
The youngster was fabulous in pre-season, scoring two well-taken goals and impressing with his overall performance on the pitch. Greenwood has come off the bench for all three games so far, but on Saturday, he should be the ideal man to replace Martial in the first eleven.
Greenwood's finishing ability and energy on the pitch already has fans excited. Against Southampton, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer should start the youngster, showcasing why United didn't sign a replacement for Romelu Lukaku.
