Man United face Bournemouth in the Premier League tonight as they aim to strengthen their grip on third place.

07:00, 20 Mar 2026

Manchester United face Bournemouth tonight in their final match before a 24-day break. The Reds will be confident heading into the fixture after beating Aston Villa 3-1 at Old Trafford last Sunday. That win opened up a three-point gap between themselves and the chasing pack.

Michael Carrick confirmed Patrick Dorgu (hamstring), Matthijs de Ligt (back) and Lisandro Martinez (calf) would not feature as they continue their recovery. Martinez is expected to return when United face Leeds. Mason Mount was in the matchday squad last week but is not fit enough to start tonight.

Noussair Mazraoui missed training in midweek due to illness. However, Carrick is confident he will be fit for the game on the south coast. This is how our United writers think United should line up tonight:

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Tyrone Marshall

It really feels like we’re basically picking from 13 players at the moment. With De Ligt and Martinez out, the centre-backs pick themselves and Shaw will start every Premier League game this season if he stays fit.

It’s a toss-up between Mazraoui and Diogo Dalot at right-back, but I would stick with Dalot here. In midfield, Kobbie Mainoo and Casemiro are the starting partnership and there is nobody pushing them, with Bruno Fernandes pulling the strings once again.

The four-into-three equation in attack is the most interesting debate. I think this game suits a more fluid front three, so I would stick with Benjamin Sesko on the bench, but with the intention of bringing him on around the hour mark, if needed, for any of the front three. Bryan Mbeumo has dropped off a little recently, but this might be a game that suits him.

Steven Railston

It felt harsh to rotate Sesko last weekend, but the decision was vindicated by the result. Carrick will be tempted to stick with the same line-up, but Mbeumo’s level has dropped over the last few weeks, and I would name him on the bench in favour of starting Sesko.

The remainder of the team picks itself following the team news. Mazraoui will be in the squad, but there’s no reason to remove Dalot from the starting XI after the Aston Villa win.

It was encouraging to see Leny Yoro take another step in the right direction against Villa. After the game, Yoro praised his partnership with Harry Maguire, and the pair should be targeting a clean sheet at the Vitality Stadium considering Bournemouth have scored just once in their last four matches.

Jack Flintham

Considering he was ill in midweek, it would be difficult to justify starting Mazraoui ahead of Dalot. Having a consistent back four should help United as they aim for back-to-back wins.

Casemiro and Mainoo are obvious picks, as is Fernandes after another brilliant performance against Villa. I would rest Mbeumo for this one. Perhaps the break can help the Cameroon international, like it did Amad.

That means Sesko would return up front after another goalscoring cameo last weekend.

Manchester United travel to Newcastle’s St James’ Park hoping to continue Michael Carrick’s unbeaten run

Manchester United travel to Newcastle tonight with plenty to ponder. Michael Carrick’s return has been an overwhelming success with a draw at West Ham the only blemish so far. Despite the comeback win over Crystal Palace, the Reds’ interim head coach has a headache when it comes to his team selection.

In his pre-match press conference, Carrick confirmed both Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw struggled with illness during the win vs Palace and are doubts to feature against Newcastle. Shaw lasted just 24 minutes on Sunday and Noussair Mazraoui did well when he came off the bench and would deserve his first start under Carrick.

As for Maguire, he impressed despite his illness and lasted longer than Shaw, suggesting he could be in a better position to start. If the centre-back is anything short of one hundred per cent, he must sit out.

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Ayden Heaven would be the logical replacement to play alongside Leny Yoro. Earlier this season, the former Arsenal academy star was one of the standout defenders in this United team. A return to the starting XI would be a huge chance for him to prove his worth again.

The midfield continues to pick itself with Casemiro and Kobbie Mainoo the standout options. Amad lost his place in the starting line-up on Sunday and despite forcing a great stop from Dean Henderson, he is unlikely to win it back.

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Benjamin Sesko’s long overdue start did not disappoint, with his winner showing plenty of class. He is now the first name on the teamsheet alongside captain Bruno Fernandes.

Matheus Cunha is the only option on the left as Patrick Dorgu remains absent. Bryan Mbeumo was quiet in the victory over Palace but his form this season should see him retain his spot on the right.

United predicted line-up vs Newcastle: Lammens; Dalot, Yoro, Heaven, Mazraoui; Casemiro, Mainoo; Mbeumo, Fernandes, Cunha; Sesko

Michael Carrick hasn’t looked to make changes to his Man United starting XI since returning as interim head coach but the draw at West Ham could mean tweaks are made at Everton.

It hasn’t been the easiest start to life at Manchester United for Benjamin Sesko. And the Slovenian probably couldn’t believe his luck when his recent rich vein of form coincided with United’s best string of results this season, meaning Michael Carrick had little reason to change a winning team.

Of course, some of Sesko’s goals have contributed to United’s purple patch; his late strike against Fulham ensured United bagged three points that should never have been in jeopardy, and a touch of magic from the striker at the London Stadium meant Carrick’s unbeaten start to life back at the club remained intact.

But both of the aforementioned goals came as a substitute. Being able to have an impact off the bench is a brilliant trait for any attacking player to possess, but £66.4million is an awful lot to pay for a super sub.

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Carrick’s penchant for waiting until around the 70-minute mark to make a substitute was often questioned during his time at Middlesbrough, and it came further under the spotlight after the draw with West Ham. United were crying out for a focal point to their attack, and when it finally arrived Sesko produced the goods. Had he been introduced sooner, Carrick might still be able to boast a 100 per cent record.

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A haul of five goals in six games means the argument for Sesko to start at Everton is an easy one to make. Throw in the lacklustre display at the London Stadium and Sesko’s upgrade from substitute to starter barely even warrants debate.

The problem is, who drops out?

Bruno Fernandes has been the best player in the Premier League this season and the United captain is the first name on the team sheet. Bryan Mbeumo has enjoyed a seamless transition to one of the Premier League’s top clubs, notching nine top-flight goals to lead the United scoring charts, and he also has to start.

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That leaves Amad and Matheus Cunha. Both can be – and have been – United matchwinners. Cunha has struggled at times this season after a positive start, but he’s as close to a maverick as modern-day football dares to entertain, and he can produce something out of nothing even when on the fringes of a game.

Since his return from the Africa Cup of Nations in January, Amad hasn’t quite produced the livewire performances we’ve come to expect from the Ivory Coast star. He has failed to record a goal or an assist since returning from AFCON, and perhaps it is time to take him out of the spotlight.

It’s easy to forget Amad is still just 23, given he was so often United’s only attacking hope alongside Fernandes during Ruben Amorim’s first season at Old Trafford. There are bound to be peaks and troughs as he develops.

Carrick has been lauded for his man-management skills since his return to United, and his handling of Amad could be key. Amad spoke in glowing terms when asked about the interim head coach recently, saying: “Having Carrick is very enjoyable and we enjoy the training. He’s a nice guy. He talks with everyone and I’m so lucky because I know him already – he was here when I arrived, when I was 18.”

That personal touch will go a long way if Amad is handed an initial watching brief at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.