Rejoice
No VAR in use tonight!
Like it or not, the technology won’t be in action tonight, in the early stages of this competition.
In a survey by Grosvenor Sport including over 1,000 Premier League fans, 85.45% of supporters said VAR had negatively impacted their match-day experiences.
Just 3.13% of the fans that responded said VAR improved their experience with 4.10% unsure.
Whilst 7.32% saying that VAR had not affected their enjoyment.
In from the start
Manuel Ugarte ahead of his first Manchester United start this evening.
The £50million man is expected to make a real difference in a United midfield that had struggled in the weeks leading up to that Southampton win.
He’d endured a long trip in the international break but did get his debut off the bench on Saturday and gets his chance to show what he’s about here.
Barnsley team news
Darrell Clarke’s team has been named for their big night at Old Trafford.
Barnsley XI: Slonina, Cotter, Roberts, De Gevigney, Earl, Connell, Jalo, O’Keeffe, Phillips, Watters, Yoganathan
Man Utd starting team
Erik ten Hag is taking NO chances with his team selection tonight.
Bayindir comes in for Onana and it looks like Casemiro could be filling in at right back after his cameo there at the weekend.
Manuel Ugarte gets his first start, with Toby Collyer given another chance in a busy midfield.
Antony and Garnacho in from the start, with Rashford set to lead the line.
We’ll hopefully hear from the United boss soon and he can put me right.
Man Utd team: Bayindir, Dalot, Evans, Maguire, Casemiro, Eriksen, Ugarte, Collyer, Garnacho, Antony, Rashford
Taking it in
The Barnsley boss hasn’t long headed back in after a wander on the Old Trafford turf.
The Barnsley players also now inside as the team news is set to be announced.
Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag was out for his pre-match walk a short time ago, too.
For the fans
Barnsley boss Darrell Clarke is hoping his players can do themselves and the supporters proud, hailing the traveling fans for snapping up the tickets offered.
But he knows the gulf in quality means his side have to be 10 out of 10 – and hope United are miles off that.
He said: “We are under no illusions, and know we need to have to be ten out of ten on performances.
“The fans have done their bit getting behind the boys with the amount of tickets that have been sold, and we want to thank them for that by putting in a performance that does ourselves justice, and does the fans and the town proud.
“We’ve got to stand up and be brave, with or without the ball. That’s the standard you need to be on the level of world-class players playing in the Premier League.”