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Manchester United have four places up for grabs in starting XI vs Hull City Man Utd open their Premier League season in two weeks against Hull City and Michael Carrick’s starting XI. After four pre-season friendlies so far for Manchester United, Michael Carrick’s squad are now on the final stretch before the real business begins. Every member of the first team squad aside from Manuel Ugarte is in Ireland for a training camp this week and the match schedule concludes with games against Leeds at Croke Park on Wednesday and AC Milan in Wroclaw on Sunday. The World Cup means players have returned at different stages and some might have too much ground to make up to start against Hull City on Saturday, August 22. Benjamin Sesko’s battle to return to full fitness means he might be struggling to make it from the start. There are some places that look secure for that trip to East Yorkshire. Senne Lammens hasn’t started in pre-season yet but should be fine. Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw are certainties at the back. Andrey Santos has done enough to start in midfield and Bruno Fernandes got his first minutes in Gothenburg on Saturday. Bryan Mbeumo has scored three goals in two games and should start as the striker, meaning Amad will be on the right. That leaves four places up for grabs. These are the battles for a start that will play out over the next two games: Right back Leny Yoro started the first three games of pre-season at right-back but spent the second half in Gothenburg in the centre of defence and that is his best route into the team. It was perhaps interesting that Noussair Mazraoui started against PSG, while Diogo Dalot came off the bench. They are at the same stage fitness-wise and while you would expect Dalot to win this race, it isn't guaranteed at the moment. Maguire partner It felt like Ayden Heaven was ahead in this battle when he started alongside Maguire for the fourth game in a row on Saturday, but he had a tough 45 minutes against the back-to-back European champions. Heaven is still only 19 and Yoro came on for the second half and could yet force his way ahead of the former Arsenal centre-back. Lisandro Martinez is only likely to get some minutes against AC Milan, so will surely have to settle for a place on the bench the week after. Mount or Tielemans Mason Mount felt like a lock next to Santos in midfield. That was until he was forced off in the first half against PSG and although that was only a precaution, it has left the door ajar. Youri Tielemans was a second-half sub in Sweden and played some sharp passes into Fernandes. If he continues to build his fitness this week he could edge ahead of Mount. Left-wing battle The return of Marcus Rashford has added intrigue here, but he is unlikely to build up his fitness in time to start against Hull and will probably have to settle for a place on the bench. Patrick Dorgu has started all four games of pre-season and looks to be ahead in the race, especially with Matheus Cunha missing out on Saturday with illness. But Cunha was in fine form during the World Cup and if he plays against Leeds and AC Milan, he could force his way into Carrick's plans.