Erik ten Hag might be about to confirm his first-choice Manchester United XI

Summer signings on show

Christian Eriksen and Lisandro Martinez both featured in Manchester United's behind-closed-doors friendly in midweek, but this weekend will see them make their first official appearances for the side.

Eriksen, 30, netted a free-kick in that match against Wrexham at Carrington, and Martinez got a run-out just one hour after his transfer from Ajax was formally announced.

Both of them were given a half of football to help bring them up to speed ahead of the first real test this weekend, and the duo will be desperate to take their chance and force their way into the line-up for the Premier League opener against Brighton.

READ MORE: Where United stand in transfer window

Ten Hag could confirm his strongest XI

With a double-header this weekend, Erik ten Hag is expected to name his strongest side for the friendly against Atletico Madrid before using the match against Rayo Vallecano as a platform to give players in need of minutes a runout.

It means that by the time the team news drops on Saturday afternoon, we might already have an indication of how United plan to line up for their season opener next weekend.

Ten Hag seems to have settled upon a pretty solid starting line-up over pre-season, but there are still positions up for grabs in defence and midfield, selections that are further complicated by the two recent summer signings.

Diego Simeone's side should offer the toughest test of the summer schedule so far, and Ten Hag will want his strongest XI to use the match as a benchmark for the standards that need to be reached straight away in the new campaign.

First-team promotions

One of the most encouraging aspects of the recent pre-season tour was the chances given to United's latest crop of promising