Rafa Benitez admits Newcastle United must “adapt” their approach in order to cope with Christian Atsu’s absence - but he has given little indication as to who will replace the Ghanaian in the Magpies side at Old Trafford.
The 25-year-old winger aggravated a thigh injury while on international duty with Ghana last week and faces a fortnight on the sidelines.
Jacob Murphy, Newcastle’s most-expensive summer signing at £10million, or Rolando Aarons could deputise for Atsu against Manchester United - though the former has appeared bereft of confidence, while the latter has yet to feature in the Premier League this season.
Other options include moving Ayoze Perez from the No 10 position out to wide left, or attempting to accommodate both Dwight Gayle and Joselu in the same side for the second match in succession.
Benitez, however, gave little indication as to who will come in for Atsu at Old Trafford.
“I was watching the other day when Rolando was playing for the Under-23s and keeping an eye on him, both in that game and in training. I was also watching Jacob training,” Benitez explained.
“Ayoze was also playing as a winger last year, so I was watching all the options and analysing what we can do. We will see because it’s a massive game against a good team.
“But the players they have to give everything. Sometimes it’s not about whether they do ‘well’ now, or if they are at the level you are expecting - it’s if they give everything.
“We were practising this week with all of them and giving them tips about what they need to do. If they try to do these things, they will still make maybe some mistakes because they are young players - that is the point.
“Some of them are young players without experience in the Premier League, so it’s a question of time.
“Rolando is training well, he is pushing in the right way. He is trying to do his best in every training session, and I have been talking with him and when he played for the Under-23s I was watching the game, analysing things and then after telling him he has to do this or that.
“It is a question of time because he’s a young player.”
In recent matches, Atsu’s direct running has been one of Newcastle’s most-dangerous offensive weapons.
Against a Man United side who have conceded only five Premier League goals all season, the Ghanaian’s pace will be sorely missed - though Benitez is adamant his side can cope with Atsu’s absence.
“Hopefully we can manage with Rolando or Jacob if we need to do it, or maybe with the movements of Ayoze,” Benitez added.
“It’s what we have and we have to adapt to deal with what we have and see if we can do it.
“Gayle can [potentially] play, but not as a winger - he was playing with Crystal Palace for a couple of games as a winger.
“He can play, but it depends because the understanding between Joselu and Ayoze is good, but they did well the other day the two strikers together.
“Also Mitro [Aleksandar Mitrovic] comes back and maybe he will be desperate to show his level, so we have a decision to make and we will see.”
Atsu first suffered his thigh-muscle injury during the 1-0 defeat to AFC Bournemouth before the international break, but he travelled back to Ghana believing he had only taken a knock.
However, he aggravated the injury further during training - though Benitez is adamant that the Ghana FA is not at fault for his absence.
“I want to be very, very honest and clear. He had a kick during the game against Bournemouth, and after when he shot he was feeling it a little bit,” Benitez said.
“He put some ice on it and said he was fine, then he went away with the national team, he had a training session and they sent him back.
“It’s not the case that they were using him and then something happened; he had a little problem and then he went there, couldn’t play and he came back.
“It’s not that it’s their fault, it’s just something that happened.”
