Injuries have really been a scourge for the Red Devils this season and it is clear that the English side are in quite a vulnerable position right now. Manager Erik ten Hag was already dealing with a long list of injury riddled absentees and the recent knocks to Rasmus Hojlund, Harry Maguire, Marcus Rashford and Jonny Evans will cost him and Manchester United even more.
Rasmus Hojilund is sidelined for two to four weeks due to a muscle injury that he sustained during a training session ahead of the Fulham game. Midfielder Casemiro got injured in the Fulham match after suffering a clash of heads with Harrison Reed in the early minutes of the second half, but thankfully he returned before the FA Cup game at Nottingham Forest.
However, Harry Maguire was deemed unavailable before the Nottingham Forest win and has been missing since. To rub salt in the wounds, both Marcus Rashford and Jonny Evans were spotted struggling with injury problems during the Man City game and had to be taken off before the 90 minutes.
The pain of losing yet another top player due to injury was clearly visible in the words and face of the Dutch manager. The consequence of losing such significant players will be evident on the field, in the squad, and of course the match results. As of now, more than ten key players are out with injury for Manchester United.
1. Rasmus Hojlund
The Danish striker will be out until the end of March. He’s recovering from a muscle injury which he picked up during training. Rasmus Hojlund missing from the squad is probably the biggest loss to Erik ten Hag. The striker was in great touch and scored in six consecutive Premier League games.
Expected Return Date – March 2024
2. Marcus Rashford
Another massive setback for the Dutch manager as Marcus Rashford is set to be sidelined for an unspecified time. He was spotted struggling with some problems in the first half of the Manchester Derby and was subbed off with 20 mins left. Although Ten Hag confirmed on him suffering an issue, the exact nature of his injury is yet to be revealed.
Expected Return Date – Unknown
3. Harry Maguire
The English centre-back was reported to be unavailable before the FA Cup match at Nottingham Forest. Maguire has already missed 2 games including the Manchester Derby on Sunday, but no specified reason has been given for his absence.
Expected Return Date – Unknown
4. Jonny Evans
Evans took Maguire’s place in the starting XI against Manchester City on Sunday, but had to be taken off early. He was seen to be struggling with some injury issues and was replaced by Manchester United academy graduate Willy Kambwala in the 69th minute.
Expected Return Date – Unknown
5. Mason Mount
Mason wouldn’t have imagined that he would have such a bizarre first season at Old Trafford. The midfielder has been sidelined since mid-November after sustaining a calf injury in training. He has started individual training but is still weeks away from playing in the team.
Expected Return Date – March 2024
6. Luke Shaw
There is high chance that Luke Shaw will be out for the rest of the season. The left-back is nursing a muscular problem and Ten Hag is unsure of his exact return date. There is no official statement from the United hierarchy as well. The defender is one of the prime cogs of the team, both defensively and offensively.
Expected Return Date – Unknown
7. Lisandro Martinez
Lisandro Martinez has been out of the team since the start of February. The central defender is suffering from knee ligament damage sustained against West Ham United. He recently returned to action in January after being sidelined with a foot injury for around 4 months.
Considering the injury and recovery rate, it’s expected that the Argentinian will join the Manchester United squad in April. The month of April is quite crucial for the Red Devils as they will be hosting Liverpool in the first week itself. The Dutch manager previously said:
“It is a big setback for Licha. He is very disappointed, but he is a fighter and he will be back, he will be back stronger. We think he will still be back by the end of the season.”
Expected Return Date – April 2024
8. Aaron Wan-Bissaka
Aaron Wan-Bissaka has been out of the team for more than one month. The last match he played was against Tottenham Hotspur. The defender is dealing with a muscle injury that occurred in training. His contract is expiring this summer, having joined the Red Devils back in 2019 on a five-year contract.
Expected Return Date – March 2024
9. Anthony Martial
Anthony Martial has not played for the Red Devils since the start of December. Recently, the forward went through a groin operation. So, he wouldn’t be able to join any time soon. There hasn’t been any official release from the manager or the club.
Expected Return Date – April 2024
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10. Tyrell Malacia
Tyrell Malacial had a knee injury and two operations were needed to fix it. So, there is very little chance of him making his return to first-team football before the end of the season. However, it is expected that the defender will return to training very soon.
Expected Return Date – March 2024
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