After the injury-hit disaster that was the 2023/24 campaign, under-fire Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag can no longer point at a stacked treatment room as an excuse.
While Mason Mount, Harry Maguire Kobbie Mainoo recently picked up issues – and while Leny Yoro is still yet to make his Manchester United debut following a broken foot in pre-season – Ten Hag has had the luxury of a near fully-fit squad in the opening weeks of the new season.
Rasmus Hojlund is now back in action. Yoro should be ready in the coming weeks. Lisandro Martinez is at full fitness once again after a nightmare 2023/24.
And, speaking ahead of Sweden’s UEFA Nations League clash with Slovakia on Friday night, Victor Lindelof has opened up on what turned into a pretty traumatic campaign for himself.
Lindelof only started 14 Premier League matches.
And, after long spells on the sidelines with groin and hamstring strains, Manchester United’s long-serving centre-back then picked up a toe injury over the summer.
Victor Lindelof delighted to be back for Manchester United and Sweden
Coming on at half-time as Ten Hag’s uninspiring Man United held Aston Villa to a 0-0 draw, Lindelof finally made his first top-flight outing since March lat time out.
And the £30 million signing from Benfica is delighted to have finally returned to the pitch. Playing without pain at last, the ‘procedure’ Lindelof undertook to fix the problem seemingly did the trick.
“It’s very nice to be back. My body is fine. I have been working hard during rehab,” Lindelof says. “The body feels good and I am ready to help.
“It has been very frustrating. I’ve probably never been as injured as I was last season. It’s tough having injuries but, right now, I feel good and I’m not playing with any pain.
“It wasn’t a broken toe, more a nerve problem,” Lindelof explains. “I did a procedure. I had been playing with syringes for a while and something just needed to be done.”
This week, Lindelof was linked with AC Milan as his Manchester United contract runs down. There is also interest from Turkey. And, while the 30-year-old deserves some credit for the helping Man United keep Aston Villa at arms’ length, regular starts are likely to be few and far between this term.
Lindelof facing uncertain future alongside Jonny Evans and Harry Maguire
Maguire, Martinez, Matthijs de Ligt and the returning Yoro are all ahead of him in the pecking order. Man United can still rely on 36-year-old Jonny Evans too. The veteran was named Man of the Match as he rolled back the years in the Midlands on Sunday.
Red Devils legend Rio Ferdinand baffled that is Man United ever considered selling Evans to West Brom back in 2015. Keeping the Irishman would arguably have been far better business, in hindsight, than spending £30 million on Lindelof two years later.
“He should’ve had another 12 years probably at Man United!” Ferdinand says.
“As soon as they sold him, I said; ‘Woah, who sanctioned this?’ He’s arguably your best defender, experienced as well.
“I was like; ‘You can’t let him go!’
“He understands the fabric of the club, and if you’re thinking about keeping a culture you need people who know, who’ve been there and grown up at the club.”
Evans, like Lindelof and Maguire, is due to become a free agent in less than 12 months’ time.
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