Ten Hag hopes Manchester United star can play vs Luton but trio still ‘weeks’ away

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Erik ten Hag hopes Luke Shaw will be available for Manchester United’s Premier League trip to Luton Town on Sunday but Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Tyrell Malacia and Mason Mount are still ‘some weeks’ away from returning. 

Not that we needed it, but the second 45 minutes at Villa Park last weekend – Victor Lindelof introduced at the break after Luke Shaw picked up a knock – was further proof that the Swede is no left-back. 

Lindelof simply couldn’t live with Aston Villa’s pace and thrust on the flank, bailed out by a point-blank Andre Onana save after failing miserably to block a Matty Cash cross. 

The thought of Lindelof going head to head with one of the divisions’ most rapid wingers in Chiedozie Ogbene at Kenilworth Road could see even the most optimistic Manchester United supporter reaching for the aspirin, then, with Ten Hag hoping along with the rest of us that Shaw can shake off the issue he picked up during that hard-fought 2-1 win in the Midlands. 

Luke Shaw in the balance ahead of Luton Town trip

“Luke is doubtful for the weekend but we are positive he can make it. He came out (vs Villa) as a precaution,” Ten Hag tells Manchester Evening News. “It was the right direction. We work until Sunday (to see if he is available).” 

Aaron Wan-Bissaka is definitely unavailable, picking up a fresh injury on the training pitch before that trip to Villa. Long-term absentees Mason Mount and Tyrell Malacia are unlikely to return before the beginning of March too. 

Manchester United trio still out

“Aaron Wan-Bissaka will take some weeks because he picked up another injury in training last week,” Ten Hag adds, the right-back joining Lisandro Martinez on the sidelines.

“Mason and Tyrell will (also) take some more weeks.  

“He (Malacia) had setbacks during his rehab process. It takes too long. It’s bad for him, bad for us. But now we turned a point and it’s positive and he will return soon on the pitch. It won’t take long before he’s returning in team training.”

Man United are in the midst of their best run of form this season, and are now just six points behind Tottenham Hotspur in fourth. Rasmus Hojlund, meanwhile, can break a Premier League record away at Luton by becoming the youngest player ever to score in six successive top-flight fixtures.