Manchester United have suffered yet another injury blow during the international break as Manuel Ugarte hobbled off for Uruguay on Tuesday night.
The midfielder’s knock follows a run of injury concerns since the break in domestic action, with Noussair Mazraoui, Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo all affected. And time is running out for Erik ten Hag to regroup ahead of Saturday’s clash with Brentford at Old Trafford.
Ugarte put in a solid performance against Ecuador but concerns were raised when he slumped to the turf and requested medical treatment in the 81st minute. The £50.5million summer signing grimaced as he touched his right leg and looked uncomfortable as he made his way off the pitch to be substituted moments later.
With Ten Hag still searching for Mainoo’s long-term partner at the base of midfield, and Ugarte the standout candidate ahead of Casemiro and Christian Eriksen, the Uruguayan would be a big miss if the injury leaves him sidelined.
Garnacho was named in the Argentina squad but pulled out due to a knee issue, and admitted he was ‘playing through pain’ during the goalless draw with Aston Villa earlier this month.
Mainoo was the only United star named in Lee Carsley’s England squad for Nations League clashes with Greece and Finland. But like Garnacho, a nagging issue forced him to pull out before he could add to his haul of Three Lions caps.
Mazraoui is set to spend the next few weeks out after undergoing surgery on a heart issue. And his absence will leave Ten Hag desperately thin on the ground at full-back, with Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia not yet ready to make their comebacks, according to reports.
Amad Diallo is another minor concern as the winger opted out of Ivory Coast duties due to illness. It remains to be seen how many of Ten Hag’s stricken players make it back in time for the resumption of Premier League action.
The wave of injury issues could hardly have come at a worse time for United’s manager, who is clinging onto his job after a poor start to the season.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe and other senior figures at the club met in London at the start of the international break to discuss recent form, and it looks as though Ten Hag will be given a chance to claw things back during a congested run of seven games in just over three weeks.
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