Villarreal's star man Gerard Moreno ruled out of United clash due to injury
Gerard Moreno has been ruled out of Villarreal’s trip to Manchester United as the Spanish international has not recovered from a hamstring injury in time for the Champions League clash.
The 29-year-old opened the scoring between the two sides in May’s Europa League final before Edinson Cavani equalised and then we agonisingly went on to lose on penalties.
Villarreal’s number seven hasn’t featured since the first Champions League Group F clash against Atalanta where the Yellow Submarine drew 2-2 against the Italians.
Moreno has missed the last three La Liga games including Sunday’s 0-0 draw away to Real Madrid.
However, Juan Foyth appears to have provided coach Unai Emery with a boost by joining in with training ahead of the flight to Manchester.
RONALDO NEEDS TO STOP WHINING.
The former Tottenham defender had picked up an injury during the 0-0 draw at the Santiago Bernabéu while ex-Arsenal midfielder Francis Coquelin is suspended after getting a red card in the draw with Atalanta.
Who will replace Gerard Moreno?
Although Moreno hasn’t scored in his last four Villarreal games, the Spanish international scored 30 goals across all competitions last season.
In the absence of Moreno, the Spanish giants’ goalscoring threat is likely to come through 18-year-old Yeremi Pino, Arnaut Danjuma who was a summer signing from Bournemouth and midfielder Manuel Trigueros.
That trio has been responsible for seven of Villarreal’s eight goals across La Liga and the Champions League so far this season.
Pino has one goal and three assists from five La Liga matches whereas Danjuma, who was signed for £21m (Transfermarkt) from the Cherries, has three goals from six matches in all competitions. Trigueros has three goals from eight matches.
Samuel Chukwueze was pictured back in training ahead of the Old Trafford clash, but the Nigerian international hasn’t played since May after recovering from a hamstring injury which ruled him out of last year’s Europa League final.
It’s a much-welcomed boost that Villarreal will be missing their prized attacking asset, but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side will have to be wary of Emery’s other attacking options.
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