Last season, it was Manchester United who were left wondering what they had done to anger the footballing gods as injuries rained down like a plague of locusts on Erik ten Hag’s head.
Lisandro Martinez and Mason Mount missed the majority of 2023/24. Kobbie Mainoo, Rasmus Hojlund and more saw their influence restricted by frustrating absences.
And when even the indefatigable, steel-carved Bruno Fernandes is consigned to the treatment table – missing a game through injury for the first time in five years – you know your luck is not in.
At the risk of jinxing it, things are feeling a little more positive for Manchester United these days. Despite losing Hojlund and marquee summer signing Leny Yoro in pre-season, not to mention Luke Shaw’s setback, Ten Hag had the vast majority of his key players available to him during last Friday’s 1-0 opening day victory over Fulham.
Have Man United passed that injury curse on, perhaps, to Bayern Munich?
Because, ahead of Sunday’s Bundesliga opener away to VFL Wolfsburg, Bayern have just lost another first-team defender to a long-term injury.
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Manchester United sign Noussair Mazraoui from Bayern Munich
Hiroki Ito, the £20 million signing from Stuttgart, will miss the first few months of the campaign after breaking his foot, Leny Yoro-style.
Josip Stanisic, meanwhile, tore the lateral ligament in his right knee during the 4-0 friendly victory over FC Zurich in midweek.
Back at the Allianz Arena after a superb season on loan at German champions Bayer Leverkusen, Stanisic is now facing up to three months on the sidelines, according to the Cleveland Clinic’s assessment of such injuries.
“He was operated on this morning,” Bayern director Max Eberl says, via Sport1. “That’s a bit of bad news that we have to deal with this week.
“Unfortunately, he will be out for the next few weeks. We wish him all the best.”
Ironically enough, the return of Stanisic after a stellar season under Xabi Alonso was a key factor in Bayern’s decision to sell Noussair Mazraoui to Manchester United.
Reuniting with Erik ten Hag for an initial fee of just below £13 million, Mazraoui could have had plenty of game time during the first few months of Vincent Kompany’s tenure.
Instead, Bayern will now be left praying that Sacha Boey – the January signing from Galatasaray – can belatedly prove his worth in German football after a sluggish start.
Mazraoui shines on Red Devils debut
Bayern’s loss with regards to Mazraoui, meanwhile, already looks like Man United’s gain.
Lining up on the right-hand side of Ten Hag’s backline, the 26-year-old Morocco international excelled as fellow debutant Joshua Zirkzee notched a late winner to see off Fulham.
“I know Noussair Mazraoui like this. He is a great defender, but he is very composed on the ball,” Ten Hag told Sky Sports at full-time (16 August, 10.30pm). “He is not in full condition. When he gets 100 per cent fitness, he can do much more.
“He has to build his fitness.”
“He did the basics well,” adds Roy Keane, the legendary Red Devils skipper. “He looks like a decent athlete. He will be pleased. You go to a club and to get a victory and a clean sheet.
“He will be delighted.”
Mazraoui is likely to start again when United travel to Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday.
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