Ole Gunnar Solskjaer needs to think carefully about his dealings with Edinson Cavani when Newcastle visit Old Trafford on Saturday. El Matador was forced to stay at Carrington during the international break after Manchester United prevented him from joining the Uruguay squad for World Cup qualifiers against Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador.
Cavani made it clear that he was not happy with the situation by asking a series of question marks in response to a screenshot of the Premier League statement confirming the stars would have to be quarantined for 10 days after returning to England published on social media.
Even so, Cavani wanted to leave, especially with his country still battling to qualify for Qatar in 2022, a tournament that will likely be his last World Cup.
Nonetheless, he was not alone and a number of Brazil internationals have been prevented from joining the national team by Premier League clubs.
This includes Fred, who, along with seven of his compatriots, has now been suspended from FIFA for five days: Alisson, Fabinho, Roberto Firmino, Gabriel Jesus, Ederson, Raphinha and Thiago Silva.
As it stands, it remains unclear whether the Uruguayan Football Association will follow in the same footsteps as Brazil and request a ban on Cavani.
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The Portuguese international is now widely regarded as a center forward and is fighting with Cavani for a place in the starting line-up.
In the past, Ronaldo would have been a guaranteed starting shot, but now he mostly plays his football through the middle.
With Cavani already surrendering his number 7 jersey for Ronaldo, it could prove to be another kick in the teeth if he lands on the bench.
Solskjaer has shown loyalty to the likes of Daniel James and Anthony Martial when they’ve come under fire, so he’s not afraid to go against the grain.
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It would therefore not be surprising if Cavani’s hard training work was rewarded with a first start to the season as consolation for the missed international break.
Should Cavani not start, Solskjaer risked damaging his relationship with the player he persuaded to stay after weeks of campaigning.
His experience and scoring skills could prove to be crucial over a long season, and as a result, this is not the time to feel like a spare.
United firmly believe Cavani will stick with Solskjaer’s plans and now would be the best time for the Norwegian to show it …
