Happy New Year from the MEN Sport team!
Manchester United kick off 2021 with a home fixture against Aston Villa tonight, but they will be without Edinson Cavani after the striker was suspended for three games.
Cavani was handed a three game ban by the FA, plus a £100,000 fine for ‘aggravated breach’ of their rules. The FA charged Cavani, 33, with a misconduct charge after he ‘brought the game into disrepute’ over an Instagram post following United’s 3-2 victory at Southampton last month. Cavani decided not to contest the charge and must complete a face-to-face education course.
The striker will now miss the fixtures against Villa, Manchester City and Watford.
Meanwhile, United’s game in hand against Burnley has finally been given a new date, and will take place at Turf Moor on January 12, meaning Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side will go into the fixture at Liverpool having played the same amount of league games.
Stay tuned for all the United news you need all day long.
Why United will not have a first XI this season
Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer does not expect to settle on a first XI this season due to the crammed schedule.
United are in three cup competitions and could play up to 40 games in under five months, while their Premier League game in hand at Burnley has yet to be rearranged nearly four months after it was postponed.
The club focused on strengthening the squad depth over the starting side with the additions of Donny van de Beek, Edinson Cavani and Alex Telles in the summer and United are three points behind leaders Liverpool as they enter the New Year.
Solskjaer has used 20 players over the last three games in the league and Carabao Cup to keep his squad fresh and, although certain players have attained an undroppable status, Solskjaer prefers to place an emphasis on the squad.
“We have a strong squad and have rotated a lot,” Solskjaer said. “We’ve not really called it a settled XI because I don’t think this season is going to be about that anyway. It’s going to be about the squad. It’s going to be about the 25 players.
Manchester United striker Edinson Cavani suspended by FA
Manchester United striker Edinson Cavani has been banned for three matches by the Football Association and fined £100,000 over an ‘aggravated breach’ of their rules.
The FA charged Cavani, 33, with a misconduct charge after he ‘brought the game into disrepute’ over an Instagram post following United’s 3-2 victory at Southampton last month. Cavani decided not to contest the charge and must complete a face-to-face education course.
After Cavani’s match-winning brace, the Uruguayan shared a post from a friend on an Instagram Story, adding ‘Gracías negrito’.
The literal translation of ‘gracías negrito’ is ‘thanks black’ but Cavani was replying to a friend who wrote, ‘Asi te quiero, Matador’, which translates as: “I love you like this, Matador.” Cavani is nicknamed ‘El Matador’.
Once Cavani was informed the post could be interpreted offensively out of context, he deleted the Story but the FA have still imposed a minimum three-match suspension.
Cavani will miss United’s Premier League visit of Aston Villa on New Year’s Day, the Carabao Cup semi-final with Manchester City on Wednesday and the FA Cup third round tie with Watford on January 9.
The shirt numbers available to Amad Diallo at Manchester United
Manchester United will welcome Amad Diallo to the club in the coming days after agreeing a deal to sign him from Atalanta last summer.
United signed 18-year-old Diallo for a fee rising to £37million on deadline day in October and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will assess where Diallo fits into Manchester United’s plans after his arrival.
The club are yet to confirm Diallo’s shirt number so ahead of the January transfer window, here’s a look at all the options available.
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Hello, and Happy New Year!
We’ll be building up to tonight’s Premier League clash with Aston Villa throughout the day.
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