There is certain to be at least one change to the Manchester United side when they return to action against Everton at the end of the week.

There are injury doubts over Andre Onana, Marcus Rashford and Rasmus Hojlund, but it is only Christian Eriksen who will definitely be missing the trip to Goodison Park on Sunday afternoon. Eriksen picked up a knee injury in the win over Luton prior to the international break and he is not expected to be back until mid-December at the earliest, leaving Erik ten Hag with a dilemma as he looks for balance in midfield.

Mason Mount or Sofyan Amrabat are the most likely options to come into the United side from the start, though Ten Hag also has two wildcard options in the form of Kobbie Mainoo and Hannibal Mejbri.

READ MORE: Fernandes names player he 'would love' United to sign

FEATURE: 'I scored a goal that sealed a Premier League title for Manchester United - then went to college'

The academy duo have both shown glimpses of real promise and quality during their limited opportunities in the first team, but it has also been apparent that they have a lot of work to do if they are ever to fulfil such potential.

Having outgrown the youth team environment, they could both do with senior football to aid their development, an opportunity that could arise for one of them this weekend.

It is easy to make a compelling argument for either of the youngsters to get their chance against Everton, which actually makes it even harder for Ten Hag to decide which of those it might be.

Hannibal is the more experienced option, with eight senior United appearances to his name compared with Mainoo's three, though it is the latter who has been regularly name-checked by Ten Hag and was given a prominent role during pre-season.

Mainoo would surely have had at least a handful of appearances to his name this season if not for an ill-timed injury during the summer, and in his place, Hannibal has enjoyed mixed performances instead.

The Tunisian sparkled in United's win at Turf Moor, setting a club record for the most distance covered by a player since data collection began in 2019, and he impressed again in the following match against Crystal Palace.

Yet in the following two outings, he wilted. Hannibal was given the nod to start against Galatasaray in the Champions League but was hooked at halftime and replaced by Eriksen. He has started one of the eight games since that appearance, and he was fortunate not to be sent off as Newcastle ran rings around United in the Carabao Cup.

Sources claim it is 'inevitable' United will trigger the option of a one-year extension to keep him at the club for another year, though Hannibal's recent struggles in the first team are a timely reminder of how tough it is to make an impact.

Mainoo is another exceptional young talent, but part of the hype around him stems from the fact that he is still an unknown at senior level, and unless he has been given a fair chance, he will always be viewed as a viable solution.

The 18-year-old could well get the opportunity with an appearance at Goodison Park this weekend, though there is still an element of caution about throwing Mainoo into the side too soon.

Hannibal and Mainoo both have the added advantage that they possess the physical traits to hold their own in the Premier League, though that is not enough alone to implement themselves in matches and make a positive impact on proceedings.

Even with the current injury crisis, there are no guarantees either of them will get a chance in the coming weeks, nevermind both of them.

There could only be one position up for grabs and two talented youngsters are fighting to take it.