There is a very real chance that Donny van de Beek will make his official Premier League debut for Manchester United on Saturday. Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has the line-up for the first game of the Red Devils This season, against Crystal Palace, hasn’t been released yet, but it looks like the Dutch midfielder is going to be playing at Old Trafford on Saturday.

“Donny has adapted very well, he’s a great guy”, Solskjaer will be quoted by the English press on Friday during the press conference leading up to the meeting with the Eagles. “He walks in every day with a lot of energy and a big smile and played very well against Aston Villa (in a practice game last week, ed.). You’re probably going to see him in action tomorrow, but I’m not going to announce the base team here. The players will hear the line-up after practice this afternoon.”

Solskjaer expects Van de Beek with his specific qualities to really add something to the midfield of Manchester United. The manager of Manchester United met the Dutchman as a soccer player a few years ago. “That was against Molde FK (in the Europa League in 2015, when Van de Beek scored, ed.). Solskjaer was coach of the Norwegian club at the time. “He was still very young at the time, so we had overlooked him a bit during the preparation for the game. But Donny did catch my eye right away. I saw a smart player who was also very agile. At Ajax his development gained momentum. We need midfielders who can score and with his walking ability Donny can do that. In that respect, he’s sure to add value.”

Solskjaer does not want to reveal who is defending the goal of Manchester United, David De Gea or Dean Henderson, who returned from Sheffield United, against Crystal Palace. Paul Pogba is available again after a quarantine period due to a positive coron test. The Frenchman is next to Bruno Fernandes, Nemanja Matic, Fred and Scott McTominay a competitor for Van de Beek in the midfield of the English superpower. The fansite Utdreport expect a base place for the former Ajacied, while Pogba starts on the bench. It looks like they are starting in a 4-2-3-1 system.

Suspected position Manchester United: De Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Maguire, Lindelöf, Shaw; Fred, Van de Beek; Greenwood, Fernandes, Rashford; Martial.