Manchester United defender Timothy Fosu-Mensah has been handed a surprise start in the team's Premier League clash with Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

Luke Shaw and Brandon Williams are both absent for the Red Devils through injury, but it had been thought that Diogo Dalot would get the nod at left-back against the Eagles.

Head coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has sprung a surprise in the capital, though, naming 22-year-old Fosu-Mensah in his starting XI for the key Premier League encounter.

The three-time Netherlands international has not turned out for the 20-time English champions since the final day of the 2016-17 Premier League campaign, spending the last two campaigns on loan with Crystal Palace and Fulham respectively.

The defender has not been involved in a single first-team squad this season, meanwhile, having spent an extended period recovering from the serious knee injury that he picked up while representing Fulham last April.

Fosu-Mensah, who has a contract at Old Trafford until next summer, joined United from Ajax's Under-17 team in 2014.

The Dutchman largely operates as a right-back, and Thursday's encounter will be the first time that he has featured as a left-back for the club since his debut against Arsenal in February 2016.