Man United drop positive Manuel Ugarte team news hint ahead of Aston Villa clash

Manchester United may have dropped a huge hint that Manuel Ugarte will start this afternoon's trip to Aston Villa.

The Uruguayan, who joined United from Paris Saint-Germain for £42million plus add-ons on deadline day, started his first Premier League game against Tottenham last Sunday but dropped down to the bench for the Europa League tie at Porto. Christian Eriksen and Casemiro got the nod in the midfield, with Kobbie Mainoo also missing out.

With Mainoo facing a late fitness test, it's unknown whether Ugarte will be thrown back into the mix but United have dropped a major hint that he could start the match. On Sunday morning, the official Manchester United X account posted a matchday graphic that included an image of Ugarte.

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An involvement in the pre-match graphic suggest that those players will feature in some degree, with Ugarte in line for more minutes after being an unused substitute against Porto. Ugarte has made five appearances since arriving from PSG but United supporters are yet to see the best of him.

Before the trip to Porto, Ten Hag sent a stark warning to Ugarte that he must adapt fast to the pace of English football. "We brought in new young players again, and we have to integrate them, like Manuel Ugarte," he said.

"The No.6 position was one of the positions we wanted to sign for this season, but he needs time to integrate. I know in top football you don’t get time, they have to perform immediately, but that’s not always realistic.

"Ugarte has to get used to our game model, he has to get used to his team-mates, he has to get used to the intensity of the Premier League."

United travel to Villa looking to end their four-game winless run in all competitions. The last time United won a game was the 7-0 win over League One outfit Barnsley, with recent matches against Crystal Palace, FC Twente, Tottenham and Porto proving frustrating.

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