Cavani Absent Against Southampton, Manchester United Make Sure Sancho Becomes New Hope

JAKARTA - Edinson Cavani has resumed training with Manchester United after more than six weeks of absence. The 34-year-old returned to England earlier this month but was only reported to have been at United's training complex in Carrington earlier this week.

After Uruguay were eliminated from the Copa America in the quarter-finals, Cavani was indeed given a sabbatical for personal reasons. The striker will most likely not play when Manchester United face Southampton in the second match of the Premier League this season.

On the other hand, the new striker, Jadon Sancho has the opportunity to make his full debut. Likewise, Raphael Varane could be included in the squad, when Manchester United faced Southampton at St. Mary's, Sunday 22 August.

"With regards to the team news, it gives us a boost as well," United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said. "Edinson's on, Raphael's on, we're getting fitter.

Getting ready for a trip down south #MUFC | #SOUMUN pic.twitter.com/ZcRNp0Adlj

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) August 20, 2021

"You will see on Sunday (if Sancho and Varane start), they have done well. They have minutes to play, we ourselves had a very good week, we will see who flies to Southampton on Sunday," said the United manager.

"Edinson always looks after himself and, of course, he lacks in team training, football training, but he looks after himself," said Solskjaer.

"He had different reasons why he came late, there were some personal reasons. And his body was very tolerable. It was something that wasn't physical, it was a different matter," said Solskjaer.

The presence of Sancho on the front lines of MU will be a new hope, especially without Cavani there. Maybe he will immediately adjust to other players, or have to adapt to find his best performance.

"I don't think it will affect the balance of the attack too much at all. "It really has to improve United, I know Sancho hasn't played much football in the last three months and apart from the Ukraine game he's been pretty much an England Euro spectator."

"He will have enough training time with his new team-mates and in terms of the instructions you give him, it's not that complicated. It's just a case of facing whoever the Southampton left-back is and the Southampton left-back is no longer Ryan Bertrand."