Man Utd look set to be without Brazilian midfielder for the Premier League fixture against Leicester and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will need to make a change.
The international break might serve as an ideal chance for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and his Manchester United coaching staff to take a step back and evaluate the season so far but national team commitments also look likely to rob his side of two senior players for their next encounter.
Fred and Edinson Cavani both started in the weekend draw with Everton but are unlikely to feature in the next league outing away at Leicester a week on Saturday given their ongoing adventures in South America.
Brazil and Uruguay will face one another in their third World Cup qualifier of the current international break on the eve of United’s trip to the King Power Stadium, leaving them with only 36 hours to get back to England for the match, never mind actually play in it.
It means United will have to make at least two changes for their match against Leicester and it could finally be the perfect opportunity for Donny van de Beek to get a start in the Premier League after a disappointing season so far.
Since he joined United from Ajax last summer Van de Beek has started just four times in the Premier League and he has been an unused substitute on 25 occasions.
The 24-year-old was an unused substitute again in the weekend draw with Everton just days after a touchline tantrum which saw him throw down his training bib and toss his chewing gum when it became clear he would not be involved in the closing stages of the midweek Champions League win over Villarreal.
There appears to be a quirk in modern football that a player on the periphery is backed by supporters to be their Messiah and that one simple change of personnel could completely transform the look of the team, though there is genuine reason to believe Van de Beek has such power given his proven track record at Ajax.
Of their golden generation which reached the Champions League semi-final two years ago it was Van de Beek who arguably shone the brightest, attracting the interest of Real Madrid for his dynamic midfield play which saw him contribute to a short-sharp passing approach and supplement the forward line with his intelligent runs into the box.
His calmness on the ball, coupled with a delicate dribbling ability, are two key factors that could help add some extra menace to an underwhelming United midfield and help to form an identity that has been lacking so far this season.
Though the solution isn’t to simply throw Van de Beek into the line-up and watch fortunes change but to instead make sure he has a more defensive-minded partner alongside to complement his own strengths and form the basis of a sturdy holding duo.
The biggest issue for the Dutchman has been that he simply isn’t trusted enough by Solskjaer and can’t be relied upon in pressure situations quite like the controversial partnership of Fred and Scott McTominay are. There is a perception that the ‘McFred’ axis might need to return for the upcoming run of fixtures against bigger sides, but before then it seems Van de Beek might finally get another chance at Leicester to influence the thinking.
Fred’s anticipated absence leaves United with a hole to fill in midfield and leaves Solskjaer with little excuse but to give his £35m signing a chance to prove why he was signed in the first place.
United fans might finally be about to get their selection wish, it will then be all down to Van de Beek to make it come true.
