Erik ten Hag has provided a positive update on his Manchester United squad with a host of defensive options fit to return at Chelsea.
Raphael Varane, Harry Maguire and Jonny Evans are all fit to return for Thursday’s clash, a welcome boost after Lisandro Martinez and Victor Lindelof were this week ruled out for a month.
Luke Shaw is also set to miss the Premier League run-in and Ten Hag said he was relieved to have some experienced defensive options back available for the trip to Stamford Bridge.
“No more issues, we don’t need them. The frontline and midfield we are ok, in the backline we have a lack of options,” Ten Hag said at his pre-match press conference.
“But the good thing is that this afternoon Raphael Varane and Jonny Evans are back, Harry Maguire was back in training yesterday.”
Ten Hag’s team have been beset with injury problems this season, though the Manchester United manager said it is the ‘overload in the schedule’ that has contributed to the club’s absences this season – and not the Red Devils’ medical staff.
“You can’t prevent the problems. The standards of the Premier League are so high. The overload in the schedule and in international football is so huge. We have all internationals in our squad. City, Liverpool, Newcastle [also] have the problems, especially in the defending department.”
Read – Ranking the five best attacking midfielders in the world right now
See more – Five left-backs Manchester United could target this summer