Manchester United fortunes could rely on giving one player a settled role

They say that consistency is key. It is something Manchester United have not been blessed with through the opening months of the season.

Erik ten Hag named one change to the side that won at Fulham for the trip to Copenhagen last night, with the abysmal Antony dropped in favour of the returning Marcus Rashford. It would effectively be two changes when Jonny Evans hobbled off injured barely fifteen minutes into the match, the latest injury blow they have suffered.

United's problems are exacerbated by the fact that they do not expect Lisandro Martinez and Casemiro to return before Christmas, adding to Ten Hag's dilemma. The unfortunate injury record certainly has to be considered when analysing United's poor start to the campaign, though it can't be used to excuse the fact that performances fundamentally haven't been good enough either.

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Yet, even with a depleted squad, Ten Hag hasn't given up the dream of consistency. That was clear from the line up he chose in Denmark.

With the pressure mounting and their Champions League hopes hinging on a must-win match, United's manager went with a team that he could trust, one that put work rate and energy ahead of creativity and flair.

For those reasons, Scott McTominay kept his place in the heart of midfield. United's overreliance on Casemiro has been well-documented and it has been no surprise that a poor start to the season has coincided with his poor performances and subsequent injury lay-off.

Sofyan Amrabat was signed to offer a viable alternative in the holding role, yet it is McTominay who has returned to it, which is both a compliment and a