Kobbie Mainoo hands Manchester United huge injury blow
Mainoo was forced off before the end of United's 0-0 draw against Aston Villa
Manchester United have confirmed that they will be without key midfielder Kobbie Mainoo for the next few games due to an ongoing injury concern.
Mainoo was withdrawn just five minutes before the end of United’s 0-0 draw against Aston Villa prior to the international break.
He subsequently pulled out of the England squad for matches against Greece and Finland as a precaution, but it has now been revealed that his injury is more serious than initially thought.
The 19-year-old had previously been forced off with an injury during the first half of the 3-0 defeat to Tottenham at the end of last month, leading him to miss the subsequent clash with Porto.
Ahead of their Premier League match against Brentford on Saturday, United have announced that Mainoo will be sidelined for “a few weeks” due to a muscle injury, although no specific timeframe has been provided.
Centre-back Harry Maguire is also expected to be out after suffering a muscle injury against Villa.
Mainoo has started every Premier League game for United this season, highlighting his importance to the team following his breakthrough last November and rapid rise in form.
Between now and the November international break, Erik ten Hag’s side faces seven matches across three competitions.
Following the clash with Brentford, attention will turn to the Europa League, where they have a lengthy trip to Istanbul to face Fenerbahce.
This will be followed by a visit to West Ham United at the London Stadium on October 27 and a Carabao Cup tie against Leicester City three days later.
Chelsea will visit Old Trafford on November 3, with Greek side PAOK scheduled to arrive on November 7, followed by a Premier League rematch with Leicester just three days later.
In the short term, Ten Hag will need to explore alternative midfield options, with Christian Eriksen likely to partner Casemiro against Brentford.
Manuel Ugarte has fallen out of favor since a challenging full debut against Tottenham and only participated in a recovery session during Thursday’s training.
Additionally, Mason Mount remains unavailable due to a head injury sustained against Spurs.
On a positive note, right-back Noussair Mazraoui returned to training on Thursday after undergoing a minor heart procedure for palpitations experienced during the Aston Villa match.
A statement from United on Thursday read: “Noussair Mazraoui, Alejandro Garnacho and Amad are all back in training after missing games for their countries during the international break.
“Manuel Ugarte undertook a recovery session having just returned from international duty with Uruguay, and taking part in World Cup qualifiers.
“Tyrell Malacia continued his progress towards recovery from long-term injury by participating in the first part of the group session.
“Kobbie Mainoo and Harry Maguire were absent after picking up muscle injuries against Villa, and they are both expected to be out for a few weeks.
“Mason Mount continues his recovery from a knock sustained against Tottenham Hotspur, and Luke Shaw from a muscle injury, with both making steady progress in their rehabilitations.”
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