Ashley Young is in line to make his first appearance for Manchester United this season after he was named in the squad to face FC Basel in the Champions League.
The versatile winger last appeared for the Red Devils in May against Celta Vigo in the Europa League before a hamstring injury cut his season short. He was also sidelined for the club's pre-season fixtures against the likes of Manchester City, Real Madrid and Barcelona.
The 32-year-old featured for United Under 23s side on 21st August alongside Luke Shaw, who is further behind in his recovery from a foot injury.
The former England international's return will boost United's options at left-back with Matteo Darmian and Daley Blind yet to nail down a regular spot in that position, while Shaw is still lacking match fitness.
Blind started United's first three league games of the new campaign at left-back, as they made a blistering start with victories over West Ham, Swansea and Leicester. Darmian replaced the Dutch international for the 2-2 draw away to Stoke.
Although Young is primarily a winger, he has been deployed at full-back in recent years, which has shown his value as an important squad member under Jose Mourinho. His crossing ability and forward thinking injects United with natural width on the left-flank.
Wide players Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial like to drift inside from the wing, leaving the Reds narrow at times but Young's presence at left-back would keep that width and an opportunity to deliver the ball into the box for the dangerous Romelu Lukaku.
His return will also allow United greater flexibility when switching to a 3-5-2 formation, as he would be a more natural fit in a wing-back role compared to Blind and Darmian following his experience on the wing.
Mourinho hinted in August his side would play with three at the back this season.
He said: “We can but we can also play with four in the back, we used the pre-season to work since day one, to work and to try to improve things that we already do.
“To try to develop things that we normally don’t do and in this moment there are so many teams playing with three in the back and wing-backs that probably sometimes we have to play that way.
“We just develop that and we played in a couple of matches, Sampdoria and I think the LA Galaxy, because it is something during the season we are maybe going to do.”
United are entering a hectic part of the season with matches in the Premier League, Champions League and Carabao Cup coming thick and fast, which will require Mourinho to make full use of his squad in these competitions.
This should spell good news for Young, as he is likely to feature over the coming weeks with the left-back spot up for grabs.
