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Erik ten Hag discusses when Jack Butland could make Man United debut.
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has revealed that new loan signing Jack Butland has a chance of making his debut for the club in Tuesday night’s Carabao Cup quarter-final.
Butland has transferred from Crystal Palace to United for the remainder of the current campaign, taking the place of Martin Dubravka as David de Gea’s backup goalkeeper after the Slovakian was called up to parent club Newcastle.
The 29-year-old, who previously played for Premier League powerhouse Stoke and was a member of England’s World Cup team, will now square off against seasoned Tom Heaton for the position of De Gea’s primary backup and alternative.
Butland didn’t get registered in time to play in the FA Cup victory over Everton later that day because his move to Old Trafford wasn’t finalized until Friday. He is assured to at least be on the squad as United gets ready to host Charlton in the other domestic cup competition in English football.
Ten Hag has suggested that Heaton, who is 36 and has made more than 300 professional appearances abroad but is now back where it all started, might be selected because he is better familiar with how United play.
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However, the United boss has also said there is ‘no issue’ with Butland.
“Tom was, many times, on the bench,” Ten Hag has said in the build-up to the Charlton tie.
“He had bad luck when he was injured for the Carabao Cup, the first one against Aston Villa. Then Martin was keeping and he did very well. Now the situation with [utland coming in, I have to see his performance in training. But the Carabao Cup is coming quick and then we will make a choice.
“Tom is, of course, more adapted to our way of play and has more connection to the dressing room, to the team, but I still have a decision to make on Tuesday. But, for me, there is no issue.”
When Butland would have the chance to play is unknown if he sits out of the match against Charlton. If United go to the Carabao Cup semifinals, Ten Hag could prefer De Gea to keep the gloves, as the Spaniard has done this season in both the FA Cup and Europa League.
While a dissatisfied Dean Henderson played just three times and later left on loan this season to a number one at Nottingham Forest, Heaton played just once in all competitions last season—22 minutes off the bench in a Champions League dead rubber.