Evening Standard
·23 October 2023
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·23 October 2023
Manchester United's woes on the pitch continued against Man City but their injury concerns are at least somewhat easing.
A 3-0 home loss to their rivals was another low point for Erik ten Hag, who prompted injury fears over Raphael Varane by leaving him out of his starting lineup only to confirm he picked Jonny Evans instead for tactical reasons.
Casemiro is now considered available for selection, along with Sergio Reguilon. Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Luke Shaw are further away from returning.
Here is your latest update of Man Utd injuries and return dates...
Casemiro
Casemiro continues to struggle with an ankle injury picked up during the last international break. The midfielder was forced off against Venezuela after 11 minutes and subsequently ruled Casemiro out of the upcoming Sheffield United match.
He was back in training ahead of the win over FC Copenhagen, a game in which he was suspended, but missed out against City. Ten Hag said before the City loss: "Case is a race against the clock. He's not 100 per cent. He will do everything he can to be part of it, to start the game, but we have to see."
Casemiro is again in contention to face Newcastle in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals.
Potential return date: Wednesday, November 1 vs Newcastle
AP
Raphael Varane
There were fears Varane had picked up another knock when Jonny Evans was picked ahead of him to face City, but Ten Hag instead confirmed it was a tactical decision to leave out the four-time Champions League winner.
He explained: "I said it from the beginning, I need the players on the left side who can make angles and also to step in and, especially against City, with the side they press us you have to step in to get the press on them and I think they did this very well."
He added: "When you face City, they will go up to press and then to play with Rapha and Maguire over the left, that can give problems and then you end up only kicking long balls.
"He is for me, better on the right, Harry, especially against teams pressing high and second is you have to step in over that side and that was our tactic: to step in over (Julian) Alvarez and get Sofyan (Amrabat) higher to get press on their build-up and that's why."
To the surprise of very few, United lost 3-0 as Haaland scored twice and then set up Phil Foden for a third. Varane can surely be confident of playing the next game.
Potential return date: Wednesday, November 1 vs Newcastle
Sergio Reguilon
Reguilon was back in the squad to face City, but did not start after playing just over an hour against Copenhagen with his match fitness still lacking after an injury layoff.
He came on for the final 20 minutes against City and appears firmly back in contention for selection.
Manchester United via Getty Imag
Luke Shaw
Left-back Shaw last played for United on August 19 before being ruled out for approximately ten weeks when diagnosed with a leg muscle injury shortly afterwards.
Ten Hag has refused to put a timeframe on his return from injury but the England international has not yet returned to training.
Potential return date: Sunday, November 26 vs Everton
Lisandro Martinez
Martinez has played for the last time in 2023 after undergoing a second operation on his foot.
After surgery on a broken metatarsal in the spring, the Argentine defender felt discomfort in September’s games against Brighton and Bayern Munich before a fresh three-month lay-off was confirmed.
Potential return date: January 2024
Aaron Wan-Bissaka
United confirmed Wan-Bissaka was set for “several weeks” out of action after a hamstring injury suffered against Brighton in September.
A two-month timeframe reported for his recovery points towards a mid-November return and Ten Hag confirmed the right-back had returned to training last week.
Potential return date: Sunday, November 26 vs Everton
Aaron Wan-Bissaka is a continued absentee
PA
Tyrell Malacia
Malacia’s long-term absence has not been fully explained by the club.
There are reports that the Dutch defender will still be out for a number of weeks, given he will have to gradually return after missing pre-season, and he was spotted in light training on Monday as he closes in on a return.
Potential return date: December 2023
Amad Diallo
There are hopes Amad will be back soon after he teased his return on social media earlier in October.
Out since pre-season with a knee problem, the young winger said he will be “just a little longer before returning” amid reports of a potential loan move in January.
Potential return date: November 2023