All the latest Manchester United injury news and updates ahead of the Red Devils’ clash

All the latest Manchester United injury news and updates ahead of the Red Devils’ clash against Luton Town this weekend

Luke Shaw of Manchester United warms up ahead of the Premier League match between Manchester United and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford on August 14, 2023

Manchester United injury news and return dates ahead of Luton clash

Erik ten Hag will be hoping to extend Manchester United’s unbeaten run when they lock horns with Luton Town. Rob Edwards welcomes United to Kenilworth Road on Sunday afternoon as either side looks to climb the Premier League table.

 

United, who haven’t lost yet this year, will be determined to clamber into the top four and secure Champions League qualification, meanwhile the Hatters target survival in the top flight. Speaking to reporters ahead of the clash, Ten Hag was quizzed on the Red Devils’ excellent vein of form.

 

“Yeah, you see, you feel that ambition,” said the Dutchman. “That brings a mood, brings a spirit in this club. The mood and the spirit which belongs to this club, and I think the players. The staff are very aligned with the ambitions of INEOS because that’s why we are here

 

“That’s why we are playing for Man United. We want to win, and we want to achieve the highest, so we are very aligned, and we have to make strategies and we have to execute the strategies to prove the ambitions.”

 

So, with that being said, the Manchester Evening News has taken a look at all the latest news and updates from the treatment room at Old Trafford.

 

Aaron Wan-Bissaka

Wan-Bissaka, who has missed each of United’s last four matches, trained in the build-up to last weekend’s win against Aston Villa but was forced to pull out of the session on Thursday. The nature of his injury has not been confirmed, but it’s not believed to be overly serious, with Ten Hag expecting him to be sidelined for just a couple of weeks.

 

What Ten Hag has said: “Aaron Wan-Bissaka will take some weeks because he picked up another injury in the training last week.”

 

Possible return date: Manchester City (A) – March 3

 

Lisandro Martinez

Martinez was sidelined in the second half of United’s clash against West Ham earlier this month. The 26-year-old defender buckled under the weight of Vladimir Coufal and he was later replaced by Raphael Varane.

 

A scan revealed that the injury wasn’t as bad as first thought, with damage to the medial collateral ligament. However, the Argentinean is still set to be sidelined for around eight weeks, missing some crucial games against Manchester City and Liverpool in the race for top four.

 

What Ten Hag has said: “He is very sad, very disappointed. We all feel really with him. First of all, it’s a personal disaster when it’s really bad. But let’s wait for what it is. But for the team, also it is really bad because he definitely brings us a lot.”

 

Possible return date: Chelsea (A) – April 3

 

Luke Shaw

Shaw was forced off at half-time during the win at Villa Park as a precaution and was replaced by Victor Lindelof. The Red Devils have not yet confirmed the nature of the left-back’s injury, but it’s not serious enough to have categorically ruled him out of the trip to Kenilworth Road as of yet.

 

What Ten Hag has said: “He is doubtful for the weekend, but we are positive he can make it. So, he fell out [of the game against Villa], it was a precaution and I think it was the right decision, especially when you, afterwards, win the game. But we work until Sunday.”

 

Possible return date: Luton Town (A) – February 18

 

Tyrell Malacia

Malacia has been back on the grass at Carrington for a few weeks but he’s still not strong enough to make his long-awaited return.

 

What Ten Hag has said: “Mason Mount and Tyrell Malacia will take some more weeks. Yeah, he had setbacks during his rehab process. It takes too long, it’s bad for him. Bad for us. But now, we turned a point and it’s positive, he will return soon on the pitch. I don’t think then it will take long before he’s returning in the team training.”

 

Possible return date: Unknown.

 

Mason Mount

Mount has been nursing a calf problem for more than two months now, yet he’s still some way off a return. The 25-year-old midfielder has featured just eight times for United in the Premier League this term.

 

What Ten Hag has said: “Mason Mount and Tyrell Malacia will take some more weeks.”

 

Possible return date: Unknown.

 

Anthony Martial

Martial is set to be out of action for a while due to a groin injury, which required an operation last month.

 

What Ten Hag has said: “It’s not a secret that I wanted a striker extra. Because with the injury of Martial we don’t really have back-up there, but it was not possible because we have to match the Financial Fair Play rules.

 

“We have Omari [Forson], we have Amad Diallo, of course we have Rashford who can play there. I think for the rest, all the positions are occupied. But, yeah, we have to be a little bit creative if it’s up to the number nine position.”

 

Possible return date: Liverpool (H) – April 6

 

 

 

Manchester United, as always, were linked to many players in the January transfer window.

 

 

But for once, they ended up with diddly squat. Erik ten Hag instead opted to stick with the first-team squad he had at his disposal, actually decreasing the size with multiple loanees shipped out.

 

It was a bold move from the manager, with Manchester United plagued by a sea of injuries in the first half of the season. It’s a decision that we will only find out in time whether it’s actually the correct one.

 

Nevertheless, one transfer decision that is now looking like a dodged bullet has to be that of Kalvin Phillips. He’s endured a nightmare start at West Ham.

 

Nottingham Forest v West Ham United – Premier League

Photo by MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images

 

It was reported that United were watching the situation of the Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips very closely in December.

 

The England international was available on a loan deal in January, and with not knowing how Casemiro was going to perform on his return from injury, there was speculation the former Leeds man could be on his way to Old Trafford.

 

The Manchester United rumours soon went, but Phillips did get a Premier League move – to West Ham United.

 

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Kalvin Phillips’ nightmare West Ham start

It has not been the best of starts for him at the Hammers, which got much worse on Saturday after a really silly red card and a poor all-round performance.

 

 

Moyes’ side still remain without a win in this calendar year after suffering a 2-0 defeat against Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

 

Phillips had yet another evening to forget after being sent off for a second yellow in the 71st minute after a rash, high challenge on Morgan Gibbs-White.

 

This came just three minutes after he was initially shown a yellow for a shove on Nicolas Dominguez. It was a stupid dismissal, which Mike Dean on Soccer Saturday highlighted.

 

 

“He’s just been cautioned for getting involved with Dominguez for no reason whatsoever,” Dean begins.

 

“Two minutes later, he flicks the ball over Gibbs-White and just comes over on his foot. Stupid yellow card. He’s wasting his time playing, he just doesn’t even look interested.”

 

A horrendous start to life in London for Phillips, but we’d rather he be doing it there than at Carrington – that’s for sure.