Manchester United have a wildcard option to fix midfield issues without Mason Mount

After two unchanged teams to start the Premier League season, Erik ten Hag will have to mix it up before the international break, but having his hand forced might not be bad news at the moment.

Just like last season, Manchester United have delivered two underwhelming performances to begin the campaign, flattered by victory against Wolves and being outplayed and outfought against Tottenham at the weekend.

Mason Mount picked up an injury in that fixture and the England midfielder will be out until after the international break, so there will be an enforced change in a midfield that has been exposed so far this season. Changes in attack also feel likely.

But it is how Ten Hag reformats his midfield that will be of particular interest. On paper, United have an excellent trio of Casemiro, Mount and Bruno Fernandes, but on the pitch, they've found the going much tougher. Both Wolves and Tottenham managed to find huge gaps to exploit in central areas.

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There is a sense that United haven't got the balance right so far this season. A total of 77 shots across their two games, with 37 for and 40 against, suggests that is the case. Both games have been far too open.

Mount isn't solely to blame for that, even if he has had an underwhelming start to his Old Trafford career. Casemiro has been below-par as well and the desire to commit more men forward this year, through pressing more aggressively and playing a higher line with Andre Onana in goal, has often meant the midfield has been out of position.

United will face Nottingham Forest at home and Arsenal away without Mount. The first of those fixtures shouldn't present too many problems, but Morgan