Ten Hag says four Manchester United stars may return vs Burnley with debut possible, Sancho update

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Erik ten Hag has indicated that Mason Mount, Raphael Varane, Sofyan Amrabat and Harry Maguire may be in contention for Manchester United’s Premier League clash with Burnley but Jadon Sancho will be left out again.

You could have made an entire XI out of the players unavailable to Erik ten Hag ahead of the 4-3 Champions League defeat at Bayern Munich in midweek. In fact, we did just that.

The return of four first-team players cannot come soon enough, then. Particularly after Manchester United suffered a third straight loss for the first time since Federico Macheda rescued Sir Alex Ferguson’s title challenge in 2009.

Ahead of Saturday’s now-much-win trip to Burnley, Erik Ten Hag suggested that Mount, Varane and Maguire may all be in contention for a place in the squad, while deadline day signing Sofyan Amrabat is also closing in on his Red Devils debut. 

Some good news for Manchester United at last

“Maybe, as you say, Harry Maguire (may be back). We will see better after training (on Friday afternoon),” Ten Hag tells the Man United website. “Varane will train, and we will see.

“Amrabat, he will train and we will see. Mount, as well. But they all didn’t play for a short or longer term. Varane, obviously, was the shortest (time) out.”

After conceding three or more goals in three successive games for the first time in 45 years in his absence, Varane’s return is a major boost; Victor Lindelof struggling and Lisandro Martinez yet to rediscover his fierce pre-injury form.

Mount and Amrabat, meanwhile, will be welcome additions to a Manchester United midfield who’s lack of legs was exposed badly by Brighton and Bayern. Jamal Musiala running rings around the ageing Casemiro and Christian Eriksen.

Jadon Sancho still out of Ten Hag’s plans

One United player who will not be back against Burnley, however, is Jadon Sancho. The £73 million man exiled from the first-team after a public and increasingly-unseemly row with Ten Hag.

Amid claims from The Athletic that Sancho has refused to apologise for his social media outburst, the straight-talking Dutchman insists that the winger’s hopes of a United resurgence rests upon him and him alone.

“It depends on (Sancho),” Ten Hag adds, via the Manchester Evening Post. “For the rest, we are preparing for Burnley and that’s our focus. He will not be in the squad.”