Manchester United will soon add five players to their strongest matchday squad

Last weekend's 3-0 defeat to Liverpool highlighted various weaknesses within Erik ten Hag's team that desperately need addressing ahead of the campaign resuming at Southampton.

But with several members of Manchester United's squad flocking to various corners of the globe during this international break, Ten Hag is not going to get as much time on the training ground with the players as he would have liked.

Nevertheless, there is cautious optimism that United will have moved on from last weekend's defeat to Arne Slot's side when they make the long trip to St Mary's for next Saturday's lunchtime kick-off. On paper, it represents a golden opportunity to kickstart their season.

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When the team news is announced 75 minutes before kick-off at St Mary's, all eyes will immediately go in search of Manuel Ugarte's name. United's supporters will be praying Ten Hag throws him straight into the equation after Casemiro's disastrous opening 45 minutes against Liverpool.

The base of United's midfield has been a problem for the past 12 months, and it is hoped Ugarte's arrival at Old Trafford will ease that particular issue. If Ten Hag elects to hand him a full debut on the south coast, it would leave Leny Yoro as the only member of the club's summer intake yet to make his competitive debut, with the Frenchman still sidelined through injury.

Once he recovers from his fractured metatarsal, Yoro will enter what is already a competitive battle to win a place at centre-back. United wanted to sign two centre-backs during the summer window and Matthijs de Ligt was drafted in a