Erik ten Hag has conducted his pre-match press conference before Manchester United travel to face Leeds on Sunday.
Of course, United just played the same opponents at Old Trafford on Wednesday night, paying the price for sloppy, slow starts to both halves in that 2-2 draw.
Ten Hag was asked for a fitness update on his squad, after Antony, Scott McTominay and Anthony Martial all missed Wednesday’s game.
The Brazilian had played the game before against Crystal Palace, but the other two are slightly longer term absentees, but the prognosis was not positive on any of them.
Erik ten Hag press conference before Manchester United travel to Leeds
“I don’t expect [them to be fit]. We have some days obviously, but I don’t expect it,” Ten Hag said when asked if Antony, Martial and McTominay could play on Sunday.
“If I can oversee it from now, I don’t see any new problems coming up,” he added, because the question also asked if there are any new knocks after Wednesday night’s game.
Ten Hag was when asked if the trio could play against Barcelona on Thursday night at the Camp Nou, and said: “I think same answer, I can’t say for 100 percent, but I don’t expect it.”
United are playing games every three days and losing options from the squad and them not being able to come back quickly is a concern.
Ten Hag did say that not all of the injury problems in his squad can be attributed to the accumulation of fixtures, naming Antony and Christian Eriksen as examples.
United looked short on depth and options on Wednesday night as they chased the game at Old Trafford and this will be another intense, demanding fixture.
Ten Hag’s response to Antony’s midweek absence was to move Marcus Rashford over to the right, with Alejandro Garnacho on the left.
That did not really work, and it will be interesting to see what he does at Elland Road, with putting Rashford through the middle instead of Wout Weghorst a potential option too.
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