Manchester United Suffer Fresh Injury Setback as Key Star Faces a Spell on the Sidelines

Can it get any worse for Erik Ten Hag and Manchester United? On the injury front, it surely can, as the Red Devils have been dealt another hammer-blow following Kobbie Mainoo’s injury diagnosis. The 19-year-old midfielder will face a few weeks on the sidelines due to a muscle injury.

Manchester United have been amongst the worst injury-hit clubs in the Premier League in recent seasons. This growing injury list has had a detrimental effect on United start to the 2024/25 season. They currently languish in lower mid-table after accumulating just 8 points from seven games. Moreover, Erik Ten Hag’s men are winless in their last five games. United’s last victory came over a month ago, when they thrashed League One side Barnsley by a scoreline of 7-0 at Old Trafford. Since then, the Red Devils have managed to score just four goals, while shipping in seven. It would be an understatement to suggest that Ten Hag is under immense pressure. If results don’t improve, the Dutchman will be shown the door sooner rather than later. 

However, to make things even more difficult for him, United’s teenage sensation Kobbie Mainoo has been sidelined for a couple of weeks because of a muscle injury. Mainoo isn’t the only injury concern, as Harry Maguire, Mason Mount and Luke Shaw still are recovering from their respective injuries and won’t be available for United’s next game. But on a positive note, internationals Noussair Mazraoui, Alejandro Garnacho and Amad Diallo all returned to Carrington without picking up injuries while away on international duty. They all featured in first-team training yesterday.  

Summer signing Mauel Ugarte was also seen training but in the capacity of recovery sessions after grueling CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers with Uruguay.  Another piece of positive news is that Dutch left-back Tyrell Malacia has finally returned to training after a lengthy spell on the sidelines. Malacia, who hasn’t featured since United's clash with Fulham on the final day of the 2022-23 season, joined the first part of first-team training as he continues his rehabilitation. Furthermore, 18-year-old Leny Yoro continues to step up his rehabilitation efforts after suffering a metatarsal injury during the preseason.  

Brentford head to Old Trafford this Saturday, where Manchester United have enjoyed a solid run of form against the London-based club. Thomas Frank’s side have struggled in recent visits to the Theatre of Dreams, losing on their last three trips to Greater Manchester. The most recent heartbreak came when Brentford let a lead slip late on, as Scott McTominay’s dramatic stoppage-time brace turned a one-goal deficit into a last-gasp victory for United.