Injuries were the central topic to Erik ten Hag’s press conference ahead of the Chelsea match.
With Lisandro Martinez suffering another injury, and Victor Lindelof also facing a month out, there are questions over whether United’s bad luck is simply that, or down to bad management.
Erik ten Hag has blamed the schedule, telling his press conference: “You can’t prevent it and you also see it is not only us. The standards that the Premier League, from an intensity perspective, are so high and the overload in the schedule, also with international football, is so huge.
“We have all internationals in our squad and you see it is not only us. City has problems, Liverpool has problems, Newcastle has problems, there are many other team.”
- READ MORE: Who is Lisandro Martinez? Step inside the life of Manchester United’s tenacious Argentine
Erik ten Hag wants to handle Mason Mount carefully
Lisandro Martinez was one of two players to return to action against Brentford at the weekend.
Mason Mount made his comeback, playing his first game since November, and managed to get on the scoresheet, netting his first ever goal for the club.
Manchester United’s manager wants to take Martinez’s injury into account when handling Mount, hinting he will handle his return carefully.
This is a fairly sizeable hint Mount won’t play all 90 minutes against former club Chelsea tonight, and could be named on the bench.
Ten Hag said: “He is a fantastic football player but it is important, first, that he is getting and keeping fit because he has had three injuries, as we have seen it now with Licha.
“You want to avoid, so we have to do this very carefully and so that is the first objective, to keep him fit.
“And of course, at the same time, we want to use him that he can have benefit and contribution to the team, like he did on Saturday, where he had an impact.”
Ten Hag comments on Mason Mount mean well
Erik ten Hag’s approach is the right one, to tread carefully, and he owes it to the player to get it right.
Mount has not really got started yet, but will be full of confidence after netting his first for the club at the weekend.
United face Chelsea tonight and then Liverpool at the weekend. Mount won’t want to sit out both games, he will want to be involved.
Ten Hag will want to use him too, having been without his first summer signing of 2023 for most of the season, who was handed the number seven shirt.
It’s a tough balancing act, and Manchester United fans will be quick to vent anger if Mount breaks down with another injury.
Ten Hag’s comments indicate he has learned a very harsh lesson with Martinez’s latest injury. Losing the Argentine defender has been a bitter blow for the Red Devils, once again.
The centre-back is a key part of Ten Hag’s plans, and so was Mount, entering the season. The priority for the manager is to now ‘keep him fit’ rather than aim for short-term impact, and that’s the right attitude to have.
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