Big names missing as United make return

BRUNO FERNANDES will captain Manchester United for the first time as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s “depleted” side kick off their Champions League campaign without Harry Maguire, Edinson Cavani and Mason Greenwood.

After a year away from European football’s top table, the Red Devils will step out in the competition for the first time since bowing out in the quarter- finals against Barcelona in April 2019.

Solskjaer’s side made it that far thanks to a jaw- dropping comeback at PSG in the previous round, with United digging deep to secure a remarkable 3- 1 triumph in the French capital without a string of their first- team players.

The 1999 Champions League final hero will again be without a number of players when they return to the Parc des Prices tonight, with Maguire, Cavani and Greenwood particularly eyecatching absentees.

“Yeah ( those three are not with us) and we’ve lost a couple so that’s ( Eric) Bailly didn’t travel or ( Jesse) Lingard didn’t travel,” Solskjaer said.

“We’re a little bit depleted but we have got more than enough players.

“We hope the players won’t be away for too long. Edinson needs a few more days training before maybe we can think about the weekend.

“Hopefully Harry, Eric and Mason as well but we’re not sure about that.”

New boy Cavani is PSG’s alltime top scorer but his absence is understandable given he only trained with new team- mates for the first time on Sunday following a period of quarantine.