Sunday’s 3-0 victory over West Ham United by Manchester United was replete with positive aspects.

Rasmus Hojlund scored his fourth goal in five Premier League matches, following a 14-game absence. Alejandro Garnacho, who has been in excellent form on the right flank, added to that total with a brace.

However, such is the current state of affairs at Old Trafford that manager Erik ten Hag will never have everything his way.

Three games after his return to the Premier League, Lisandro Martinez was once again on the ground with his knee clutched, raising concerns that he had sustained another severe ιnjury. Even though the news regarding the Argentine is not favorable, the situation could have been much worse.

Martinez will once again be incapacitated due to a sprained collateral ligament, but that does not spell the end of his season. On the contrary, United maintains optimism that he will recover and be capable of providing support to the Red Devils in the remaining games, during which they aspire to potentially contend for a spot in the top four.

Ten Hag is currently regrouping his thoughts in order to determine the most effective defensive partnership that will sustain United in the forthcoming matches. Below is a classification by 90 minutes of his six most optimal courses of action…

6. Victor Lindelof & Harry Maguire/Raphael Varane

Victor Lindelof’s minutes at Manchester United continue to twindle, so you’d imagine the Swede will not be the one to get the call from Ten Hag unless there’s little alternative.Harry Maguire or Raphael Varane would be his likely partners in a back four, rather than the ageing Jonny Evans.

5. Raphael Varane & Jonny Evans

Varane and Evans played together earlier in the season, most notably in the 1-0 win over Burnley at Turf Moor – the game that reintroduced Evans to the United faithful.But with trips to Aston Villa and Manchester City coming up, it’s a partnership that is probably too raw to be risked at this stage of the season – Ten Hag having more established duos who have worked together at his disposal.

4. Harry Maguire & Jonny Evans

Pairing Maguire and Evans isn’t ideal by any stretch of the imagination, particularly if there’s a foot race to be had. They do have 168 international caps between them though, pointing to significant experience when the going gets tough.Maguire would be the lead partner, with Evans in the supporting role, but the role of the defensive midfielder would be pivotal to making this partnership work in some of the big games that have been mentioned. Kobbie Mainoo, your young legs may be required.

3. Raphael Varane & Luke Shaw

Varane has spent much of his United career playing on the right of a centre-back pairing, so he’s the natural fit if Ten Hag opts to push Shaw centrally and asks Diogo Dalot to fill in at left-back.The 30-year-old may have a tough time ousting Harry Maguire from the team though – he’s been rock solid ever since Ten Hag performed a U-turn and welcomed him back into the first team fold.

2. Harry Maguire & Luke Shaw

Maguire and Shaw have played hundreds of times together for club and country, though most of those games were as a left centre-back and left-back.The latter has shown the maturity to play in the centre – at a time when Maguire was out of favour – and Ten Hag completely trusts him in the role. A lack of pace could be exploited by teams who like to get in behind, but that’s where their strong communication could come into play.

1. Harry Maguire & Raphael Varane

The most obvious solution is pairing Maguire with World Cup winner Varane, keeping Shaw in his favoured left-back position and then choosing between Dalot and Aaron Wan-Bissaka on the right.Both are leaders, have played for club and country in the biggest matches, and have the temperament to take United through another challenging period without arguably their best defender. Varane may also have a point to prove by lining up alongside Maguire – his future at the club could be on the line after all.