Erik ten Hag has Maguire and Rashford dilemma he must get right

Man Utd's next six Premier League fixtures

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Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag must make his big decisions the right ones when the club’s Premier League season resumes. But Harry Maguire and Marcus Rashford’s electric World Cup form leaves him with a pair of dangerous dilemmas as he hunts for Champions League qualification in his maiden campaign.

Both stars defied their critics during England’s run to the quarter-finals in Qatar. Maguire has been propelled into prominence as United’s captain, making him the butt of relentless mockery amid a patch of poor form at club level, form which saw him lose his status as a surefire starter.

But the 29-year-old showed up for his country again, proving why Gareth Southgate trusts him and being named in another Team of the Tournament. In fact, several United stars enjoyed memorable outings in the Middle East; among those was Rashford.

Southgate recalled the United No 10 into the squad after his revitalisation under Ten Hag this season, and he repaid the faith. Rashford finished the World Cup as England’s joint-top goalscorer with Bukayo Saka, netting three times, despite starting just once.

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Both will hope to carry their form into United’s restart, with Nottingham Forest visiting Old Trafford tomorrow evening. However, Ten Hag won’t want to cause too much disruption, with a positive start to the second part of the season critical in the Red Devil’s top-four bid.

Anthony Martial has returned to full fitness and has impressed under the Dutchman when he’s played this term. Rashford has often been used as the central striker in recent months, but Martial is fresh, and Ten Hag must utilise them both on the left and centre of his attack.

Meanwhile, Victor Lindelof started and performed well in Wednesday’s 2-0 Carabao Cup win against Burnley at Old Trafford.

With the Swede also fresh after his nation missed out on the World Cup, Ten Hag would be better off sticking with him while he waits for finalists Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez to resume their formidable partnership.

Despite Maguire’s England form, it has often been the case that he has struggled to replicate it for United, given he is required to play in a much higher line in Ten Hag’s vision than in Southgate’s.

And the Old Trafford boss must make the call to hold off on recalling Maguire once he returns from illness and stick with Lindelof.

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