Erik ten Hag is facing a shortage of centre-backs heading into clashes with Chelsea and Liverpool this week, with Man United confirming two new injuries.
In a busy week for the Premier League, Man United will host Liverpool three days after a trip to Chelsea on Thursday night.
They do so with a mounting injury list, with Ten Hag set to struggle to field a cohesive centre-back pairing for either fixture.
On Tuesday, United confirmed that both Lisandro Martinez and Victor Lindelof were facing around a month on the sidelines with calf and hamstring issues respectively.
Raphael Varane was also required to come off at half-time in Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Brentford, and this week admitted he had “damaged” his body playing so frequently throughout his career – including concussion fears.
With Chelsea still to play and Varane already a doubt, it could leave United with only Harry Maguire and 19-year-old Willy Kambwala as centre-back options against Liverpool.
Jonny Evans has missed the last two games with a knock, though may recover in time to partner Maguire at the back if required.
United are also currently without Luke Shaw (thigh), Tyrell Malacia (knee), Anthony Martial (groin) and goalkeeper Altay Bayindir (muscle).
Their lineup for the visit of Liverpool will depend largely on the outcome of Thursday’s clash with Chelsea – which is, of course, the same for the Reds as they prepare to host Sheffield United.
But Ten Hag being without a number of key players is no doubt a boost for Jurgen Klopp, despite United finishing the FA Cup quarter-final win with Bruno Fernandes and Christian Eriksen at centre-back.
Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
