Minnesota United's improving health leaves Adrian Heath with tough lineup decisions

Minnesota United's Franco Fragapane, Kervin Arriaga, Abu Danladi and Chase Gasper trained with the team Wednesday in Blaine, all aimed toward returning from injuries Sunday at New York Red Bulls.

That makes coach Adrian Heath's lineup decisions even more difficult.

"Well, that's the job — always has been, always will be," Heath said. "There's a real intensity in the training because we're at that stage again where everybody is fit again. The competition for places is fierce. There's going to be some big decisions to make on the weekend."

After Saturday's 1-1 draw with Nashville SC, Heath said injuries and healthy players' performances picked the team for him.

Now if Fragapane is ready to play after he left Saturday at halftime and Arriaga is back, Heath could be pressed to creatively find a starting spot or enough playing time particularly for Arriaga and newcomer Bongokuhle Hlongwane.

That could mean a formation change from Heath's preferred 4-2-3-1. He could play a three-man defensive midfield to get Arriaga, Hassani Dotson and Wil Trapp all on the field together.

"We have an awful lot of things we could do now," Heath said. "Playing three at the back is an option we could do, especially on the road if you want to make it tighter. I don't think we're at that stage yet. I want to see how it develops the next few weeks to see how we are. I think it's still early days for a lot of teams."

"It's so early, we didn't want to force him through it," Heath said. "He has had his treatment and his work and he has been really sharp the last couple days."

Gasper's return from a hit to the head in the preseason finale will allow Bakaye Dibassy to move from Gasper's left-back position back to his normal center-back spot, which he did in Saturday's second half. DJ Taylor replaced Dibassy at left back at Saturday's halftime and Dibassy replaced Brent Kallman at center back alongside Michael Boxall.

Starting right back Romain Metanire didn't train with his teammates Wednesday but ran on his own on the sidelines. Heath said Sunday's game "probably will be too early" for Metanire's return from a bothersome hamstring injury.

He has been replaced there by veteran defender Oniel Fisher, but Fisher left Wednesday's training early after he sustained what Heath called a "little knock."

Heath said he didn't immediately know more than that.

He, too, will see what changes he might make in his starting 11, if any.