KEY ISSUES FOR REDS

DECISION TIME

IT is goalkeeping D-day for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and it remains to be seen whether it is ‘D’ for David or Dean. If Henderson starts, it will be widely acknowledged he is the new United number one. He has started in the last six games - four of them when De Gea was unavailable due to paternity leave - and the other two in competitions already reserved for him.

During that run, Henderson has improved not just himself but teammates. United did not concede in any of the three Premier League games he played in and he demonstrated he maybe has more in his locker than De Gea. Yet De Gea has been United’s player of the last decade and banked staunch loyalty with a faction of the fans. In his last appearance, he produced one of the saves of the season at Chelsea.

But you have to be judged on what you’re doing, not what you have done. It feels like this is the gradual change of the goalkeeping guard at United and De Gea can have no complaints if Henderson starts ahead of him.

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ERIC Bailly was absent for United’s last two games yet flew to Africa for the Ivory Coast’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. He has only managed 15 appearances for United this season and there is a question mark over his future as he approaches the final year of his contract.

Victor Lindelof, excellent of late, may sit out the Brighton game through injury but the reputed ructions over Bailly’s contract negotiations might mean he is not the automatic starter next to Harry Maguire.

■ POGBA IN?

FRANCE travelled to Astana and Sarajevo during the international fortnight but Solskjaer can hardly justify not starting Paul Pogba at home against Brighton.

United have had the benefit of an extra day to prepare for today’s game and its evening kick-off is another bonus. United were so insipid from midfield in Pogba’s absence and inspired with him in it in Milan he has to come back into the XI ahead of a more testing task at Tottenham.

BAILLY BACK?