Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has expressed concern over the ongoing absence of Lisandro Martínez and Casemiro due to their respective injuries. Martinez, who has been sidelined since September, is suffering from a recurring foot injury that initially occurred in April. On the other hand, Casemiro has been out of action for the past two months due to a hamstring problem. Despite the two players returning to training and being spotted on the grass at Carrington last week, Ten Hag revealed that they are not yet ready for a full return to action. As he addressed the media in a news conference, the manager stated, “They are a long time already back on the grass and now they return back into team training but not fully, so partial. Now they have to make the next steps, and that may take some days, I think even weeks.”
Injury Crisis Ahead of FA Cup Third Round Tie
Manchester United’s injury crisis seems to be escalating, with Mason Mount, Harry Maguire, and Victor Lindelöf also on the sidelines. This has left Ten Hag with a limited squad for their upcoming FA Cup third round tie against Wigan Athletic. The manager revealed that he will have to field a similar squad to the one that suffered a 2-1 defeat against Nottingham Forest on December 30th. However, there is some positive news as Rasmus Højlund has recovered from his illness and will be available for selection. Højlund missed the match against Forest due to his sickness, but Ten Hag confirmed his return, stating, “He dropped out shortly before the game [against Forest] and so he was a little bit unwell before the game. The day before we expected him to play and then he dropped out shortly before the game, but he is back in training.”
André Onana’s Starting Role and Backup Goalkeepers
In light of United’s agreement with the Cameroon FA to delay the release of André Onana for the Africa Cup of Nations, Ten Hag has confirmed that Onana will start in goal against Wigan. This raises questions about the manager’s confidence in his second-choice goalkeeper, Altay Bayindir. However, Ten Hag reassured the media that Bayindir will have an opportunity to prove himself once Onana departs, most likely after the Premier League clash with Tottenham on January 14th. He emphasized, “At some point André will go. We are totally happy and we constructed this group of keepers because we are comfortable with this. We have confidence in them both, and both are very good goalkeepers, both experienced at the highest levels.”
Manchester United is currently facing significant injury concerns with players like Lisandro Martínez and Casemiro still on the road to recovery. The absence of key players such as Mason Mount and Harry Maguire has further compounded Manchester United’s issues. However, the return of Rasmus Højlund and the temporary solution of keeping André Onana in goal provide some hope for the team. The upcoming FA Cup third round tie against Wigan Athletic will serve as a test for Manchester United’s depth and resilience as they strive to overcome their injury woes.