MANCHESTER UNITED take on Athletic Bilbao in the final pre-season game of the summer in Dublin TODAY!
The Red Devils beat Lens on Saturday and they'll be looking to round off their Premier League preparations in style against their La Liga opponents.
- Start time: 4pm BST
- TV/Live stream: MUTV
- Man Utd XI: Heaton, Lindelof, Maguire, Eriksen, Sancho, Pellistri, Wan-Bissaka, Van De Beek, Fernandez, Gore, Forson
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- By Sam Dymond
Martial misses out again
Many Manchester United fans were hopeful of seeing Anthony Martial this afternoon, but the Frenchman is yet again a notable absentee.
Plagued by injury problems last term, the forward is once more troubled by a hamstring issue and will now go into the new campaign without having played a single minute in pre-season.
- By Sam Dymond
Basque in Bilbao's line-up
Athletic Bilbao have revealed their side for today's encounter in Ireland, and they include several Spanish internationals in their starting line-up as well as one former United favourite – Ander Herrera – on the bench.
Athletic Bilbao: Unai Simon, De Marcos, Vivian, Paredes, Lekue, Vesga, Ruiz de Galarreta, Nico Williams, Ohian Sancet, Muniain, Inaki Williams
Subs: Agirrezabala, Guruzeta, Villalibre, Herrera, Raul Garcia, Nolaskoain, Imanol, Adu Ares, Unai Gomez, Prados, Marton
- By Sam Dymond
Excited Aviva awaits United stars
Tickets for today's match sold out within half hour when they went on sale back in June, and there will be close to 60,000 inside the Aviva Stadium when the action eventually kicks off.
Crowds have lined the streets outside the stadium, and not even the realisation that the club have left their biggest stars at home can dampen the enthusiasm of United's Irish fans.
- By Sam Dymond
Opening fixtures on the horizon
This afternoon marks the eighth match of Manchester United's pre-season – and also eight days until the club's Premier League campaign officially kicks-off.
Wolves are first up for the Red Devils, visiting Old Trafford for what will be the first Monday Night Football of 2023-24.
Trips to North London to face Tottenham and Arsenal also await Erik ten Hag and co. in the opening weeks while they are also set to host Nottingham Forest and Brighton.
- By Sam Dymond
Sancho to continue in new role
Here's how we expect Manchester United to line up at the Aviva this afternoon.
The 4-2-3-1 shape will see Harry Maguire operate on his unfavoured right side of defence while Jadon Sancho will once again play as a false nine, a role he has experimented with in pre-season.
- By Sam Dymond
Manchester United's summer so far
Pre-season is rarely about results, but if it were then this summer would be seen as a mixed bag by the Manchester United faithful.
Wins against Leeds, Lyon and Arsenal were followed by defeats to Wrexham, Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund before yesterday's 3-1 victory over French outfit Lens at Old Trafford.
- W 2-0 v Leeds (N)
- W 1-0 v Lyon (N)
- W 2-0 v Arsenal (N)
- L 3-1 v Wrexham (N)
- L 2-0 v Real Madrid (N)
- L 3-2 v Borussia Dortmund (N)
- W 3-1 v Lens (H)
Ten Hag names United side
Harry Maguire starts for Manchester United in Dublin…
…but goalkeeper Tom Heaton captains the side.
Senior players Victor Lindelof, Christian Eriksen, Jadon Sancho, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Donny van de Beekn are also included in the initial line-up.
Meanwhile, youngsters such as Facundo Pellistri, Alvaro Fernandez, Daniel Gore and Omari Forson are presented with an opportunity to make an impression.
Man Utd (4-2-3-1): Heaton; Wan-Bissaka, Maguire, Lindelof, Fernandez; Gore, Eriksen; Forson, Van de Beek, Pellistri; Sancho
Subs: Kovar, Wooster, Evans, Jurado, Collyer, Hannibal, Emeran, Hugill
Bookies unable to separate sides
The likely prospect of a weakened Manchester United has been a factor in the bookmakers' pricing up this pre-season friendly, and as a result, there's very little in the betting. As it stands, the Premier League giants are the narrowest of favourites but that could all change once the teams are announced.
- Man Utd win 11/8
- Draw 9/5
- Athletic Bilbao 6/4
Odds from Betfair correct at time of post publication.
Final friendly for Red Devils
Good afternoon and welcome to the Aviva Stadium in Dublin for Manchester United's eighth and final pre-season friendly of the summer.
LaLiga outfit Athletic Bilbao are the opposition as Erik ten Hag's team look to sign off with a flourish ahead of the 2023-24 Premier League campaign.
United's Dutch coach sent out a strong starting XI yesterday as the Red Devils defeated Lens 3-1 at Old Trafford so it's something of a second string that's expected in Ireland this afternoon.
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