Patrice Evra is facing the axe for Manchester United this weekend.
By David McDonnell
Evra, United’s first-choice left-back for years, could find himself dropped for Saturday’s visit of Wigan to Old Trafford.
Sir Alex Ferguson is keen to give Alexander Buttner, a £3.9million signing from Vitesse Arnhem this summer, his debut.
And Evra, who looked suspect in United’s edgy 3-2 win over Southampton before the international break, will be the man to make way.
Ferguson bought Buttner – even though United rated him as only the third- or fourth-best left-back in Holland – to put pressure on the 31-year-old Frenchman, who has remained unchallenged in the left-back slot for the past six seasons.
The United boss, who was in New York on Monday to watch Andy Murray win the US Open tennis crown, has yet to make a decision over his goalkeepers.
David de Gea was dropped for the Southampton game after making a blunder in United’s hard-fought 3-2 defeat of Fulham.
But Fergie admitted his replacement, Anders Lindegaard, looked nervous in the last-gasp win at Saints.
The United boss must decide whether to stick with Lindegaard or recall De Gea, with neither man having shown great conviction.
Intriguingly, Ferguson met up with former Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola, who has relocated to New York during his break from coaching, in the Big Apple.
Although Guardiola is one of the favourites to take over from Fergie when the Old Trafford legend finally steps down, United sources claim it was a purely chance meeting.
