Will Kambwala has been handed his Premier League debut (Picture: Getty Images)
Raphael Varane is out of Manchester United’s trip to West Ham on Saturday due to illness, confirms manager Erik ten Hag, who has handed 19-year-old Willy Kambwala his Premier League debut at centre-back.
The teenager moved to Old Trafford from Sochaux in 2020 but is yet to make his first team debut for the Red Devils.
That will change in east London on Saturday afternoon when he partners Jonny Evans in the heart of defence as Varane joins the injured Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez on the sidelines.
Asked why Varane is not involved this weekend, Ten Hag was straight to the point, telling TNT Sports: ‘Illness.’
The Red Devils boss was asked about the little-known Kambwala’s inclusion and explained: ‘He’s calm, he made a good impression in training, but of course he’s inexperienced and it’s a big moment for him.
‘He’s athletic, calm on the ball and now he has his opportunity.’
It is a youthful side which Ten Hag is fielding on Saturday, with 18-year-old Kobbie Mainoo in midfield, 19-year-old Alejandro Garnacho on the wing and 20-year-old Rasmus Hojlund up front.
Kobbie Mainoo starts alongside Scott McTominay in midfield (Picture: Getty Images)
After a goalless draw at Liverpool last time out, Ten Hag said he hopes to build on that display against the Hammers.
‘We will build on the performance at Liverpool, and we want to be better on the ball,’ he said. ‘I think we had opportunities [against Liverpool], we had the spaces, but we didn’t always explore the spaces.
‘This is a different game, they aren’t as offensive as Liverpool, but we still have to do better on the ball. We had the two chances of the game against Liverpool and in top football, you don’t create 10 chances.’
Man Utd XI: Onana, Evans, Shaw, Antony, McTominay, Garnacho, Hojlund, Fernandes, Wan-Bissaka, Kambwala, Mainoo.
Subs: Bayindir, Amrabat, Rashford, Eriksen, Reguilon, Pellistri, Van de Beek, Hannibal, Bennett.
West Ham XI: Areola, Coufal, Zouma, Mavropanos, Emerson, Soucek, Alvarez, Kudus, Ward-Prowse, Paqueta, Bowen.
Subs: Fabianski, Johnson, Cresswell, Fournals, Ings, Ogbonna, Benrahma, Kehrer, Mubama.
MORE : Kobbie Mainoo set to miss Manchester United’s clash against West Ham
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