Finishing touches

DAN GARDNER . . . the midfielder is suspended for Athletic's first three games of the season

FINE TUNING is the order of the evening when Athletic entertain a Manchester United XI at SportsDirect.com Park tonight (7.30pm kick-off).

Manager John Sheridan will give game-time to all the fit members of his squad in the final pre-season friendly ahead of the new Sky Bet League One season.

Athletic lost their unbeaten summer record in going down 2-1 at home to a technically adept Girona side last week and expect tonight's visitors, set to be mainly under-23s players, to offer a similar challenge in terms of ability in possession.

Athletic could still be without Paul Green (Achilles), Brian Wilson (Achilles), Darius Osei (hamstring) and Dan Gardner (knee), with safety-first likely to be the mantra with the season only four days away.

Gardner is suspended for Athletic's first three games, meaning in any case he won't be available until at least the home match against Wigan on Saturday, August 19.

"Everyone will be having a run-out," said Sheridan on tonight's game.

"It is a bit close to our first game, but it's a game I wanted to have with us not being able to get a game in on the Saturday.

"I would rather play than train and it will be another good test against a technically good side. One or two of the younger players will get a run-out as well.

"GOOD PLAYERS"

"I am not sure what side they will bring over. It is Manchester United, though, so I am sure whoever they bring they will be good players."

United's first team squad are in Dublin ahead of tomorrow night's pre-season contest against Sampdoria.

None of goalkeeper David de Gea, right-back Antonio Valencia and winger Jesse Lingard made the trip to Oslo for Sunday's 3-0 friendly win over Valerenga.

While Sheridan continues to search for a new goalkeeper and midfielder, veteran Green's return to training yesterday provided a boost among the existing squad options.

"After the Curzon Ashton game it flared up a bit," Green said of his Achilles issue. "I didn't want to be playing through it this early on, so I had a week out.

"It is just down to the hard ground. It needed settling down and strengthening up."

Athletic could field German goalkeeper Niklas Bolten again tonight as the trialist bids to win a playing contract.



* THE English Football League is introducing the new ABBA format for penalty shoot-outs in its competitions during the 2017-18 season.
Already being trialled by UEFA, the system is based on the format used in tennis tie-breaks, with the team taking the first kick in each pair of kicks alternating, so AB BA AB and so on instead of AB AB etc.

The EFL's trial of the format will apply to this season's Carabao Cup, Checkatrade Trophy and the play-offs, with the first opportunity for its use coming in the Carabao Cup's first round on August 8-9.