How Manchester United could line up against Rochdale

Manchester United take on one of their Lancashire neighbours in the EFL Cup this week, meeting Rochdale for only the second time in their history on Wednesday.

United are likely to field several of their fringe and emerging players against a side who are currently 17th in League One, although coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be hoping his understudies prove more clinical than they did in the narrow 1-0 Europa League win against Astana.

Both sides are coming off the back of away defeats, United losing 2-0 at West Ham United on Sunday, a day after Dale fell to a late defeat at Fleetwood Town.

Solskjaer is short of forward options after Marcus Rashford, who led the line against Astana, limped off with a thigh injury at the London Stadium.

Here, Sports Mole looks at how the Red Devils could line up for Wednesday's match.

Out: Eric Bailly (knee), Luke Shaw (thigh), Anthony Martial (thigh), Paul Pogba (ankle), Timothy Fosu-Mensah (knee) Doubtful: Marcus Rashford (thigh), Mason Greenwood (tonsillitis)

> Click here for Man Utd's full injury and suspension list ahead of this match

Jesse Lingard replaced Rashford at West Ham after his England teammate made a wincing departure from the defeat, although Solskjaer might not be entirely comfortable risking another of his senior strikers for 90 minutes in a match United should stroll.

Greenwood scored his first senior goal for the club with the winner against Astana and the 17-year-old could be given the chance to add to his account if he recovers from the bout of tonsillitis that kept him out at the weekend.

Back-up goalkeeper Sergio Romero will hope to avoid a repeat of the straight red card that led to United's downfall when they lost on penalties to Derby County at Old Trafford in this competition last season, when defender Phil Jones missed the decisive spot kick.

Among the youngsters who could feature, defender Axel Tuanzebe was born in Rochdale and made his first senior appearance for more than two years against Astana.

Winger Tahith Chong has played for the Netherlands at every youth level, while 19-year-old Angel Gomes has been with the club since the age of six and scored against Tottenham Hotspur in pre-season.