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Erik ten Hag revealed that Rasmus Hojlund may return from injury just in time for the FA Cup quarter-final clash against Liverpool next week.
The Danish striker has been sidelined since February 18 due to a muscle injury. Hojlund, who earned the prestigious title of Premier League Player of the Month for February, has been dearly missed by Manchester United, who have suffered defeats in two out of three games without him.
In addition to Hojlund, there is optimism surrounding the return of key defensive players Harry Maguire and Aaron Wan-Bissaka, both of whom are expected to be available for the Liverpool fixture after dealing with their respective injuries.
Speaking at a press conference ahead of United’s league game against Everton on Saturday, Ten Hag stated, “Harry Maguire, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, I expect to be back for our game against Liverpool. Hojlund (is) similar.”
Ten Hag further informed that Mason Mount, who has been sidelined since November, is also nearing a comeback and hinted that the English midfielder could be back in action after the upcoming international break, further bolstering United’s squad depth.
The ongoing injury concerns have sparked speculation about Ten Hag’s future at the club, with reports circulating about potential successors being considered. Nonetheless, Ten Hag remains optimistic about the team’s progress, believing that their performance would have been even more impressive without the setbacks caused by injuries.
“It tells that we are in the right direction,” he said. “So, imagine if we had many more players available, not so many setbacks in injuries, it could have been easily 70 or 75 wins and that tells the bright future of this team when players are available. I think we are playing to maximum levels if you take in the availability of the players.”
Injuries have plagued United’s season, contributing significantly to their struggles in securing a top-four finish and a guaranteed qualification for the Champions League next season. Despite winning the League Cup and finishing third in Ten Hag’s inaugural season in charge, United currently find themselves 11 points adrift of fourth-placed Aston Villa in the Premier League standings. And hence the Red Devils can hardly afford a slip-up against Everton at Old Trafford on Saturday.
