Three ways Manchester United could line up in pre-season without any new signings

Following the release of the 2022/23 Premier League fixtures last week, the countdown to Manchester United's season opener against Brighton at Old Trafford on Sunday, August 7 is officially on.

The visit of the Seagulls will mark the beginning of a new era in M16 and new manager Erik ten Hag's first competitive game in charge. He will be desperate to make a winning start and ensure the horrors of the most recent campaign are nothing more than a distant memory.

But to ensure he gets off to a winning start in just under seven weeks' time, the Dutchman will be determined to make the very most of pre-season. United' s pre-season preparations will, as things stand, consist of six matches, the first of which is against Liverpool in Thailand on July 12.

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After facing Liverpool in Bangkok, United will travel to Australia for a further three fixtures, two of which are against Premier League counterparts Crystal Palace and Aston Villa. A high volume of fixtures means that Ten Hag will get the chance to rotate his pack and assess every member of his squad ahead of the big kick-off on the opening weekend in August.

With that in mind, MEN Sport has taken a close look, presuming everyone is fit and available, at three different ways Ten Hag could set his team up during the pre-season tour if he does not add to his squad before then.

Line-up one

Presuming Ten Hag starts pre-season with the current strongest line-up available to him, most of it picks itself. David de Gea would start in goal, with a recognisable back-four, from right to left, of Diogo Dalot, Raphael Varane, Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw starting in front of him.

United need to