Cristiano Ronaldo has been dropped from Manchester United’s squad to face Aston Villa.
Anthony Elanga will start instead, with Edinson Cavani and Mason Greenwood completing the front three.
Marcus Rashford has also not been included in the squad for the match, while Harry Maguire and Phil Jones are only fit enough for the bench.
Interim manager Ralf Rangnick explained that Ronaldo was out due to a hip flexor injury, but hoped to have the 36-year-old back for Wednesday’s game against Brentford.
Rashford’s absence was down to a dead leg sustained in training.
Ronaldo had previously started every Premier League game under Rangnick.
However, he was dropped to the bench for United’s game against Chelsea in November, with the team under the stewardship of Michael Carrick.
Ronaldo has scored 14 goals in all competitions since rejoining the club this summer after 12 years away.
Villa, meanwhile, hand a debut to Lucas Digne, while Philippe Coutinho makes their bench.
United sit seventh in the league, seven places above Villa, and come into the fixture off the back of disappointing results against Wolves and Newcastle.
What are the teams?
Aston Villa XI: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne, Sanson, Douglas Luiz, Ramsey, Watkins, Ings, Buendia
Subs: Steer, Targett, Young, Coutinho, Hayden, Hause, Chukwuemeka, Archer, Iroegbunam
Man Utd XI: De Gea, Dalot, Lindelof, Varane, Telles, Fred, Matic, Greenwood, Bruno Fernandes, Elanga, Cavani
Subs: Heaton, Henderson, Jones, Maguire, Mata, Lingard, Sancho, Van de Beek.
(Photo: Martin Rickett/PA Images via Getty Images)
