Manchester United  return to Premier League action on Saturday afternoon following the recent international break as they face Claudio Ranieri's Watford at Vicarage Road.

The two sides have been struggling in the league as of late, with both the hosts and the visitors only picking up one Premier League victory each since mid-September.

This poor run of form has led to serious questions being asked surrounding Solskjaer's future at the club, yet a fresh start after the international break could be exactly what is needed to transform the mood surrounding Old Trafford.

Team News:

United midfielder Paul Pogba is suspended, with the meeting being the third and final match of the ban he received against Liverpool in October. Also, the Frenchman sustained a thigh muscle injury while away with his national side and he now joins international teammate Raphael Varane on the sidelines.

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There are doubts also surrounding Edinson Cavani, with the Uruguayan sitting out the Manchester derby due to a tendon problem and not joining up with his national team.

Luke Shaw also didn’t feature for England in their games against Albania and San Marino as he recovered from the concussion sustained during the 2-0 loss to City.

Whilst many United players were in action over the international break, Scott McTominay didn’t play for Scotland due to illness, but the midfielder posted on social media that he has recovered well.

There is also good news regarding Marcus Rashford, after he decided to remain in Manchester rather than join up with Gareth Southgate’s squad due to recent illness.

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The England forward was pictured working at Carrington this week alongside Jesse Lingard and Jadon Sancho, who also watched the Three Lions qualify for the World Cup from home.

The Hornets have also had several players away on international duty over the last week or so, with defender Francisco Sierralta involved in Chile’s defeat to Ecuador in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

Slovakian midfielder Juraj Kucka will be suspended for United’s visit, having picked up two yellow cards in the recent match against Arsenal.

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Ken Sema (knee) and Peter Etebo (thigh) are longer-term absentees, while centre-back Christian Kabasele is still on the road to recovery after a hamstring strain.

Predicted Lineups:

Manchester United: De gea, Shaw, Maguire, Lindelof, Wan-Bissaka, Fred, McTominay, Fernandes, Rashford, Sancho, Ronaldo

Watford: Foster, Rose, N'Koulou, Cathcart, Femenia, Sissoko, Bonaventure, Tufan, Cleverley, Sarr, King

One to watch:

Our one to watch for Saturday's match is Jadon Sancho.

The 21-year-old has had an underwhelming start to his Old Trafford career after failing to score or assist during a time in which has been used rotationally. 

But the match against Watford could serve as the perfect opportunity for Sancho to kickstart his United career.

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Solskjaer is fond of deploying his players against their former clubs, and Sancho developed as a footballer in Watford's academy  from 2007 to 2015 before joining Manchester City.

And with Marcus Rashford now fit and firing on the left hand side of United's attack, it has been a battle between Sancho himself and Mason Greenwood to nail down a spot on the right flank.

Greenwood has been preferred in that spot in recent weeks, but positive displays from the bench against Atalanta and Manchester City have merited a start for the former Borussia Dortmund man.

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There is still a chance that Sancho may not start against The Hornets, but Saturday's game is a perfect opportunity for the winger to showcase his talents and remind everyone why United bought him in the summer.

  • Head to head:

Watford and Manchester United have played each other 36 times in total, with The Red Devils winning 24 of those matches. Watford have been victorious on six occasions, whilst five matches have ended as a draw.

Watford have lost 12 of their 14 Premier League matches against Manchester United (won two) – against no side have they lost more.

In the top flight, United have won 18 of their 26 matches against Watford (drawn four, lost four), a win ratio of 69%.

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The last time Manchester United won at Vicarage Road was a 2-1 victory under Jose Mourinho in September 2018 thanks to goals from Romelu Lukaku and Chris Smalling.

How to watch:

The 15:00 BST game will not be broadcast on live TV in the United Kingdom, but highlights will be available via Match of the Day at 22:30 BST.