Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has hinted that Marcel Sabitzer could make his full Premier League debut against Crystal Palace on Saturday afternoon.
The Austria international joined the Red Devils from Bayern Munich on transfer deadline day. He had his first training session on Thursday after receiving his work permit.
Speaking ahead of the Palace game, Ten Hag has now said that Sabitzer is a ‘very fit player’ and he is ‘ready to play’. He added that the midfielder could start the match.
He told Manutd.com: “Very good. Of course, he did only one session, but you can see he’s a very fit player. I didn’t have a different expectation.”
“He’s coming from Bayern Munich, German [clubs] they are always [about] fitness, [it’s] always good. So, he is [fit]. So, I think he is ready to play.
“I think he’s a really smart player, I think we gave him some guidance, but I think he knows what to do, he knows the job, so he could do [on whether he could start].”
Sabitzer could make a big impression for Man Utd
Sabitzer was largely out-of-favour for a starting spot at Bayern and he will be determined to prove a point at United such that he can secure a permanent deal.
The 28-year-old can play anywhere in midfield or attack, but should feature from the number eight role following the long-term ankle injury for Christian Eriksen.
In our view, the Austrian could be an ideal box-to-box midfielder for the manager as he is good going forward but also possesses good defensive awareness.
Sabitzer did not play much for Bayern before his loan switch, but averaged an impressive 3.9 tackles in every 90 minutes. He should fit in perfectly in United’s midfield.
The Austrian could be an upgrade on Eriksen with his better attacking and defensive attributes. The big question is whether he can adapt quickly to the league’s intensity.
The former Leipzig captain looks set to make his United debut tomorrow. Judging by Ten Hag’s comments, he could well be named in the starting line-up.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com
