Manchester United receive major injury blow ahead of Crystal Palace fixture

Manchester United defender Harry Maguire has sustained a muscle injury in training that will keep him out for around three weeks.

Maguire has played through knocks against Bournemouth and Coventry in the last month but won’t be available against Crystal Palace on Monday night.

The centre-back has sustained a fresh muscle injury in training and he’s set to be unavailable for about three weeks. Maguire should be fine to represent England at this summer’s European Championship and is understood to have a chance of featuring in the FA Cup final.

Maguire has played alongside Casemiro in central defence for United’s last three matches and was expected to start with the returning Jonny Evans at Selhurst Park.

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Evans returned to training earlier in the week after recovering from his own muscle injury and is set to start with Casemiro at the heart of the defence against Crystal Palace.

Erik ten Hag has been forced to contend with an unrelenting injury crisis this season and his defensive options have been depleted, with Lisandro Martinez, Raphael Varane, Victor Lindelof, Luke Shaw, Willy Kambwala and Tyrell Malacia still unavailable through their respective injury problems.

Maguire succumbed to a groin injury in December and was absent for fixtures throughout the festive period but returned to fitness at the end of January.

The former United captain has won praise for delivering strong individual performances and his muscle injury is a huge blow for Ten Hag on the day prior to facing Crystal Palace.

Newcastle and Chelsea both claimed victories in the Premier League over the weekend, which has seen United demoted to eighth position in the table ahead of Monday night’s game.