At a Glance
- Three Manchester United stars miss training
- The Reds face Bournemouth on Friday
- Champions League qualification on the horizon
There has been no sighting of Lisandro Martinez, Noussair Mazraoui or Matthijs De Ligt at Carrington this morning as Manchester United gear up to travel to the coast to face off against Bournemouth on Friday.
The Red Devils have suffered a major blow as the three defenders didn’t take part in training. This has dashed hopes of them being available for the clash with the Cherries.
Sky Sports News’ Danyal Khan confirmed the trio were not present for today’s session, which took place in the morning. It’s a nuisance for Michael Carrick, given he’ll want players fit for the final stretch of the season.
Man United trio miss training
De Ligt has been the most concerning, having made a strong start to the season and established himself as a key figure. He sustained a back injury against Crystal Palace on 30 November and hasn’t featured since.
Former coach Ruben Amorim described De Ligt’s injury as a “small thing,” and predicted he would be back for the Wolves game on 8 December. But he hasn’t appeared since the Palace win, and the problem seems more serious than let on.
Lisandro Martinez’s injury is also a worry, given his recurring fitness troubles. The Argentine World Cup winner is the best on-the-ball defender at the club, and United struggle to build up play without him in defence.
Manchester United have suffered only one league defeat while Martinez has remained fit. He may miss the trip to the Vitality alongside Mazraoui.
The Moroccan’s absence will come as a surprise to United fans, having been named on the bench against Aston Villa just days earlier. He has come in and out of Carrick’s team since returning from the African Cup of Nations.
Mazraoui limped off at St James’ Park during United’s first defeat under Carrick; his absence now leaves a significant gap in the backline.
No Dorgu either
Carrick will also have to cope without winger Patrick Dorgu, who won’t return until April at the earliest. The Dane is recovering from a hamstring injury suffered in a 3-2 win over Arsenal in January.
The latest update on the 21-year-old is that his rehabilitation is going well. Matheus Cunha has since become the main starter at left wing and impressed.
Manchester United take on Bournemouth at 8 pm on Friday, with both sides seeking revenge after their 4-4 classic earlier in the season. The Reds are chasing UEFA Champions League qualification, and a 3-1 win over Villa last time out means they sit third, three points above Unai Emery’s Villans, who are fourth.
