Jonny Evans has been named on the bench for Man United’s tussle with Lyon this afternoon.
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has explained that Jonny Evans has joined the club to work on his fitness and help the squad.
Evans, who left Leicester City at the єɴԀ of last season, started training withUnitedover the weekєɴԀ in a bid to try and improve his fitness levels. He was included in the 24-man squad that travelled to Edinburgh for this afternoon’s clash with Lyon at Murrayfield Stadium and he starts on the bench.
The Northern Irishman, who is 35, is a graduate of United’s academy and spent nine years at Old Trafford as a senior player before leaving in 2015 to join West Bromwich Albion. He has now returned to M16 on a short-term Ԁєɑł to enable him to feature in this afternoon’s tussle against Lyon and against Wrexham in the United States.
Though the primary aim of his return to United is for him to work on his fitness levels,Ten Haghas admitted that he believes both parties can benefit from his presence, pointing to how United have recently been light on numbers because of players coming back late for pre-season training after being on international duty last month.
Ten Hag told MUTV: “I have known him for a long time and I know that his place is Manchester. He came to train with us to work on his fitness and I said to him that not all the players are in – the internationals are out, still having their break.
“I thought it was a good idea to help each other out. Jonny can work on his fitness and he can help us out.
“We know he’s a really experienced player, but also a very good person with a big personality and authority. He can help the young players, especially. It benefits both sides.”
Those that were on international duty in mid-June ɾєρօɾτed back to Carrington over the weekєɴԀ, but have been left out of the squad that has travelled to Scotland. They are poised to get their first appearances of the summer against Arsenal in New Jersey.
