After the international break, Manchester United will immediately return to action with a cross-city rivalry match against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium. This match will mark the beginning of a demanding stretch for Erik ten Hag's squad.

United will play nine times in the span of just 29 days in October, despite the fact that their match against Leeds United that was supposed to take place on Sunday was postponed. The schedule looks like it will be very difficult, and every player will be pushed to the absolute limit of their mental and physical capabilities in order to keep up with it.

Next month, the Reds will have nine games total, including six in the Premier League and three in the Europa League. Because of this, Ten Hag will have no choice but to rotate his starting lineup on multiple occasions in order to keep things feeling as new as possible. In the match that ended in a loss to Real Sociedad by the score of 1-0 just over a week ago, the Dutch manager displayed, for the very first time, that he is not afraid to switch things up and make the most of his team.

Following a hectic schedule in the Premier League, the manager of Manchester United made the decision to make six substitutions. As a result, players such as Victor Lindelof, Harry Maguire, and Fred were given their first starts. Ten Hag made those decisions with one eye on the upcoming trip to Selhurst Park to play Crystal Palace a few days later. He did this because the match was scheduled to take place there. After the passing of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, that competition was, of course, put on hold for the foreseeable future.

Therefore, with a busy October schedule on the horizon, Ten Hag will be forced to tinker even more at certain junctures, most likely in the Europa League. This is most likely going to be the case. Due to the fact that United is widely considered to be in the best position to win Group E and that they have a deep roster, the manager of the Reds can afford to make substitutions, and it is possible that Donny van de Beek will be among those who will benefit the most.

Before training, Erik Ten Hag and Cristiano Ronaldo joke around with one another.

During the first team training session for Manchester United, Erik Ten Hag and Cristiano Ronaldo joke around before and after the workout, as well as at other times.

The Netherlands international was supposed to become a regular fixture for United this season following the appointment of Ten Hag, who worked with him while he was at Ajax, but he has only made three substitute appearances so far this season. Despite this, it was expected that he would become a regular fixture for United this season. He has also been unable to participate in recent games due to an injury.

If he had been healthy enough to play against Sociedad, he likely would have started the game, especially considering that Ten Hag elected to give Bruno Fernandes a day off before the match. Because of this, Fred was given the responsibility of playing in the position of attacking midfielder, which was a decision that completely backfired and surprised everyone.

According to Ten Hag, Van de Beek performs at his highest level when he is operating in the attacking-midfield position. Because of this, it is possible that Van de Beek will be in the running to replace Fernandes when United is inevitably forced to make substitutions in an effort to keep things as fresh as possible. They were unable to find a suitable replacement for Fernandes as a back-up option because they were unable to replace Jesse Lingard over the summer and Christian Eriksen switched positions.

During the preseason tour of Australia in July, Ten Hag commented on Van de Beek's best position by saying, "He can do both [sit deep and play high] - I know that from the past." Ten Hag was referring to the fact that Van de Beek is capable of playing both positions. However, due to the capabilities he possesses inside the box of the opponent, his best position is actually playing short behind the striker. [This is] his best role.

"He has a really good nose for being in the right position," the narrator says.

Having said that, it is possible for Van de Beek to get the chance to show his manager that he is wrong during what is shaping up to be a very busy period the following month. The squad is going to be put under a lot of stress because they have nine games in just 29 days, and United are going to need every single player available.

In the event that an opportunity does arise, Van de Beek will be resolute in his efforts to demonstrate his value to Ten Hag. Naturally, it will benefit him the most if he is deployed in the best position possible.