Ralf Rangnick has picked up a win and a draw from his first two matches in charge of Manchester United.
The German, who succeeded Ole Gunnar Solskjaer last month, has so far had two games to assess his squad options and although he opted to field a much-changed side to face Young Boys in the Champions League earlier this week, one player who will be expecting to be recalled to the side is centre-back Raphael Varane.
After picking up an injury while on international duty with France last month, Varane has been sidelined for the Red Devils’ last five domestic matches.
However, according to a recent report from The Sun, the 2018 World Cup winner is edging closer to making his long-awaited return.
It is expected that Varane will take part in his first full-contact training session on Friday and could make his first competitive appearance since getting injured against Brentford in the Premier League next Tuesday.
Having Varane back available will be a huge boost for Rangnick, as well as the fans. However, given the inspired performance Victor Lindelof put in during his manager’s game in charge against Crystal Palace, Varane’s immediate return to the starting 11 may not be as nailed on as it once was.
Harry Maguire is also expected to return to the side’s lineup following a rare break that saw him get the night off on Wednesday.
However, another player who is likely to have impressed his new manager is fellow defender Teden Mengi.
Despite making a late substitute appearance against Young Boys at Old Trafford on Wednesday night, the young defender thoroughly impressed, and a last-ditch recovery block likely is likely to have stuck in his gaffer’s mind ahead of the notoriously congested Christmas fixture list.