Man United take on Chelsea in the Premier League on Thursday night and Ralf Rangnick is going to be without as many as six first-team regulars for this all-important tie.
The Red Devils are already low on self-confidence but the manager was expected to see the return of some players this week. But to matters worse, not only will he have the regular absentees but now, a few others have also joined the list.
The first big blow is Fred who is not going to be available for the Chelsea game and Ralf has revealed that Maguire and Jadon Sancho are also going to miss out.
“Fred is unfortunately not yet available,” Ralf told reporters at his pre-match press conference.
“He tried to train yesterday but after training I had a long conversation with him and he just told me that he doesn’t feel fully fit, he’s not at 100 per cent, and with a player like Fred who’s always committed to give his very best, I don’t think it makes sense, with the muscular injury that he had, to play him too early, because that would mean we take the risk of a re-injury and this is something that I don’t want to do.
“So he won’t be available unfortunately tomorrow.”
Maguire seems to have picked up a knee injury while Jadon Sancho is suffering from tonsillitis so both of them will be absent on Thursday night.
The manager added: “And apart from that we have Harry Maguire who is not available. He has some issues with his knee, not a big thing – some niggle in his knee. He hasn’t been training, neither yesterday or today.
“Paul obviously, Fred, Edinson, Luke Shaw and Jadon – Jadon is ill, he has tonsillitis since yesterday, couldn’t train today and will also be not available tomorrow.”
OFFICIAL: Manchester United will be without Harry Maguire, Jadon Sancho, Fred, Edinson Cavani, Luke Shaw and Paul Pogba against Chelsea tomorrow. Aaron Wan-Bissaka is a doubt.
— Squawka News (@SquawkaNews) April 27, 2022
Is the Man United manager going to be under immense pressure?
With so many key players ruled out, Manchester United are staring at yet another defeat simply cause Ralf Rangnick has no other option but to field the placeholders once again.
Nemanja Matic is clearly not at the age of playing two games in a week but with Pogba and Fred ruled out, the Serbian will once again have to start.
Jadon Sancho was one of the rare bright sparks in the Man United team but now he is also unavailable which means the out-of-form Marcus Rashford will come into the side.
Chelsea might have been recently knocked out of the Champions League but they still are in very good form and there’s every possibility that they are going to pick up an easy win against Man United.
Man United will obviously try and put up a fight but even with a full-strength first XI, they do little damage so we expect very little from a bruised and patched-up side.
