Manchester United might find themselves short-handed for their upcoming Premier League encounter against Aston Villa on Sunday afternoon, February 11.
The Red Devils aim to extend their two-game winning streak as they head to Villa Park in pursuit of narrowing the gap for a spot in the Champions League.
Aston Villa currently hold a six-point lead over Erik ten Hag's side, standing fourth place in the league standings. However, United secured a crucial three points in the reverse fixture at Old Trafford, staging an impressive comeback to clinch a 3-2 victory on Boxing Day, with Rasmus Hojlund as the hero.
Throughout the season, the Manchester giants have grappled with significant injury setbacks, though the situation has improved somewhat at Carrington.
Despite this, there remain notable absences within Ten Hag's squad. Lisandro Martinez, for instance, has been sidelined for two months following a knee injury sustained during the win against West Ham. Initial concerns over the severity of the injury have somewhat subsided, but the Argentine's absence leaves a void in the starting lineup after recently reclaiming his place following a prolonged absence due to a foot injury.
"It's a setback of course," said the Dutch manager spoke about the World Cup winner's absence in his pre-match press conference.
"You see his contribution to the team when he's playing. Apart from his technical skills, he also bring mentality into our team, but it's a big setback. He's disappointed, but he's a fighter, he will be back and he will be back stronger."
On the other hand, Tyrell Malacia remains sidelined with a knee injury, while Mason Mount continues his recovery from a calf problem. Anthony Martial has undergone groin surgery, ruling him out until at least April, with speculation suggesting his future at the club may be in question.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka was expected to make progress in his recovery ahead of the trip to Villa Park. However, manager Ten Hag revealed in his pre-match press conference that the right-back has suffered a setback.
Despite attempting to train on Thursday morning, Wan-Bissaka had to cut short his session due to ongoing issues, rendering him unavailable for selection.
"I don't have the full diagnosis at the moment," said the manager. "Hopefully, it's not too serious."
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