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LONDON. — Manchester United open the 2018-19 English Premier League soccer season tonight with a visit from Leicester City.

The match kicks-off at 9pm.

There’s been plenty of doom and gloom around the club this summer — including a quiet transfer window, disappointing preseason results, and an irritable José Mourinho looming over all of it.

But the Reds have a chance to change this narrative with a strong performance against Claude Puel’s side. They’ll just have to do it a bit shorthanded. All twelve United players who competed at the World Cup this summer returned to preseason training late, with Paul Pogba and others only getting back on Monday.

Marcus Rashford, Phil Jones, and Romelu Lukaku generously cut short their summer break to rejoin the squad a few days early, but remain question marks for the season opener.

Rashford might be the safest bet to go straight into tonight’s lineup. He played 63 minutes at the Allianz Arena last weekend and, with Anthony Martial back in the doghouse, looks to be in contention for a starting spot. Mourinho even rewarded the 20-year-old homegrown attacker with the #10 shirt, perhaps a sign of the important role he’ll play this season. — AFP