Erik ten Hag barely had a selection decision to make at Manchester United last season and nowhere was that more true than central defence.
Confirmation of team news an hour before kick-off became almost a formality and Ten Hag was reluctant to rotate. Any debate was usually centred around who should start at right-back and whether Wout Weghorst deserved to keep his place up front.
Marcus Rashford and Antony were nailed out wide, Casemiro would anchor Christian Eriksen and Bruno Fernandes while Luke Shaw would almost always play to the left of Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane.
It was a simpler time. ALSO READ: United suffer fresh Casemiro and Martinez injury blows ALSO READ: Ten Hag explains why he needs 13 regular players United were not without their injury problems and spent the latter weeks of last season with neither first-choice centre-back - both were injured in the Europa League quarter-final first-leg draw at home to Sevilla in April.