Erik ten Hag faces Kobbie Mainoo reckoning after ill-judged decision, Man Utd staff under scrutiny

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Manchester United face being without Kobbie Mainoo for a few weeks due to injury.

One way Manchester United contributed to the club’s injury crisis in 2023/24 was by playing the team’s stars when they were not quite fully fit.

Lisandro Martinez was one who played through injury early in the season, only to make it worse, and suffered from the same situation late in the campaign too.

Harry Maguire was another who played through the pain, only to break down injured and miss the end of the season and the FA Cup Final.

Luke Shaw is still paying the price after his November return led to him starting a succession of games without a break, before succumbing to another injury, a chain reaction he is still trying to break free of.

Now a similar situation has struck with Kobbie Mainoo, early into the 2024/25 season.

Kobbie Mainoo injury timeline

• 29/9/24: Kobbie Mainoo injured against Tottenham
• 1/10/24: Mainoo undergoes scan on hamstring
• 4/10/24: Mainoo travels to Porto but not selected in squad
• 6/10/24: Mainoo played 85 minutes against Aston Villa
• 7/10/24: Pulls out of England squad
• 17/10/24: Manchester United reveal Kobbie Mainoo out for ‘weeks’

Manchester United released the information about Kobbie Mainoo’s status buried amid a more positive injury update over Noussair Mazraoui, Alejandro Garnacho and Amad Diallo.

The club stated Mainoo is expected to be out for ‘a few weeks’.

Manchester United staff under scrutiny

Erik ten Hag now faces a reckoning, having to deal with the consequence of Kobbie Mainoo’s latest injury problem.

There is no confirmation that Kobbie Mainoo aggravated his injury by traveling to Porto and then playing against Aston Villa, yet this is not necessarily something United would publicise.

Mainoo being out for any amount of time is less than ideal, and this is shaping up as a nightmare for Erik ten Hag – even if a break could be a positive for the teenage midfielder after a hectic 2024.

Manchester United fans are not impressed with Erik ten Hag’s handling of Mainoo’s injury.

And while it is Ten Hag who must deal with the consequences, the problem lies not just with him.

Manchester United’s medical department must accept blame too, for sanctioning Mainoo to be fit to play if he was not 100 per cent.

While the midfielder lasted 85 minutes at Villa Park, it came at a cost. Manchester United’s point was an expensive one – even if it may have saved Ten Hag from defeat, and even his job, more long-lasting damage has been done.

Even if the Tottenham and Villa game injuries remain unconnected, it does not escape the fact Mainoo has played an excessive amount of football in 2024 as a whole, with United and England reliant on him.