Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has provided an injury update ahead of his side’s trip to Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Ten Hag was first asked about Victor Lindelof’s ‘confusing’ injury status and replied:
“No confusion, he has an issue on his toe, hopefully he can return quickly but not available for the weekend.”
Regarding other injuries, he confirmed:
“Tyrell Malacia, Rasmus Hojlund, they’re not available. Luke Shaw, of course.”
No doubt he meant to included Leny Yoro in the absentee list.
Asked about Jadon Sancho’s availability for the Brighton game, the boss replied:
“We will see. We have a squad, I hope we will have a squad with double positioning and when we go into the season after September 1, that means you can’t select all the players but you need them all throughout the season.
“We have to manage it, the attitude of the players is very important, sometimes they will be disappointed they have to deal with it, you win as a squad.
“The prizes are decided next May and until then we need all the players in the squad and highly motivated, that is not an expectation, that is a demand on the squad.”
The notion of “double positioning” warranted a follow-up question, given that Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho are double positioned for the left wing, while Amad Diallo and Antony are both right wingers.
It suggests one player – perhaps Sancho – might be surplus to requirements as the transfer window enters its last week.
One player who won’t be going anywhere is new signing Joshua Zirkzee. On his goal-scoring debut against Fulham, Ten Hag said:
“”Very pleasing that a player who is a striker scores his first goal in is first game, that will give him confidence, very pleased that it’s happened.
“The comparison with last year and Rasmus Hojlund and when he scored against Brighton and the VAR looked and five minutes later came to the conclusion the ball crossed the line in the assist and he had to wait three months for first Premier League goal.
“ It gives him confidence and gives us confidence as a team.”
United’s first away match of the season kicks off at the Amex stadium at 12.30pm on Saturday.
An embargoed section of the press conference will be available here at around 10.30pm tomorrow.
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