The international break comes at a bittersweet time for Manchester United because they were starting to build a train of momentum with good results.
At the same time, the two-week break gives Ruben Amorim and his team precious time to work on the injured player, the list to which Ayden Heaven’s name has been added after the 3-0 win vs Leicester.
Mason Mount made the bench vs Leicester but didn’t come on, while the likes of Luke Shaw, Harry Maguire, and Kobbie Mainoo remain out of contention.
The Man Utd manager shared a positive injury update on Shaw after his side’s win against Leicester City, and revealed the plan during the international break for Mount and others.
Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images
Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images
Mason Mount recovery and Luke Shaw injury update
If the importance of Shaw to this team wasn’t already obvious, Ayden Heaven’s injury vs Leicester has put renewed focus on the state of affairs at Old Trafford.
Harry Amass received his senior debut against the Foxes while Toby Collyer had to have a stint at right wing-back at one point, signaling the truly desperate situation.
In that sense, the two-week break couldn’t have come at a better time because Amorim literally doesn’t have enough senior defenders to fill his back five with players in their natural position.
The Man Utd manager cut a hopeful figure for his outlook of the team after the break, laying out the plan for the likes of Mason Mount as they work their way back to fitness, and provided a positive Shaw injury update.
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Amorim said: “We are going to divide the group. Some players like Mason Mount, Toby [Collyer], they have to work on their fitness.
“We have to recover players like Harry Maguire and Kobbie Mainoo. You have Luke Shaw, he’s going to be ready soon. Everything is prepared, everybody has an idea for this break.”
Man Utd can’t afford another injury to the duo
United don’t just have two players out of action but this international break seems like a moment on which Shaw’s career hinges.
Mount has a somewhat longer rope because he’s clearly someone Ruben Amorim is desperate to work with, but for him as well, the patience is running thin.
United will move into the last lap of the season, with the aim to win the Europa League and finish as high as possible in the Premier League for that incremental prize money.
They can’t afford another injury to Shaw and Mount and the player can’t afford to miss any more time because they’re already on borrowed time.
It’s impossible to shake off the feeling that the board will have had enough if either of these players suffer another setback between now and the end of the season.
The season starts here for everyone at Man Utd but only figuratively. For Mount and Shaw, it literally does because they’ve barely played at all.