Man Utd handed very welcome boost as Community Shield squad to face Man City confirmed

Manchester United have named Harry Maguire in their 21-man squad for the Community Shield, despite concerns over his fitness. The central defender has been battling an injury and was absent from the pre-season defeat to Liverpool last week.

Erik ten Hag is facing a defensive crisis with several key players unavailable, leaving him with just three central options.

Lisandro Martinez and Jonny Evans are the other two centre-backs at Ten Hag’s disposal, who was uncertain if Maguire would be fit for the Wembley showdown and wanted to assess him in training before making a final decision.

The Dutch manager stated: “Harry Maguire missed the game (last week) as a precaution, he is a question mark for Saturday. So we have training and we will have to see whether he is fit enough or not to be available. Victor played, but he is also a question mark and so is Azza [Aaron Wan-Bissaka]. Luke Shaw too. We have to see about [them] tomorrow.”

Options at full-back are also scarce for the FA Cup winners, who are aiming to lift the Community Shield for the first time since 2016. Diogo Dalot could feature, while young talent Harry Amass might get a chance to shine.

Despite the defensive woes, Ten Hag has plenty of firepower up front, with new signing Joshua Zirkzee potentially set to make his debut at Wembley in the absence of injured Rasmus Hojlund.

Ahead of this titanic battle at Wembley, Ten Hag said: “We need on Saturday, we need a very good game plan of course because we are playing against a very good team.

“They have a lot of skills and we have to be ready for that game. So that’s a big challenge because for the first time we are all coming together this season and then you have a couple of days to be ready as a team to face a very good opponent.

“But we are looking forward [to it], everyone is very excited about this game and going to Wembley always gives us good vibes, it gives us good memories that will absolutely motivate the players.”

21-man squad:Onana, Bayindir, Heaton; Dalot, Maguire, Evans, Martinez, Amass; Casemiro, Mount, Collyer, McTominay, Mainoo, Fernandes; Rashford, Amad, Antony, Garnacho, Sancho, Pellistri, Zirkzee