Manchester United have been reportedly handed a boost with Raphael Varane avoiding a potential long-term ankle injury.
The France international sustained the injury in the first half of Sunday’s 6-3 loss to Manchester City but tried to continue before being replaced.
After the game, Red Devils manager Erik ten Hag was coy about the severity of the situation, indicating that he substituted the center-back to prevent him from suffering “a bigger injury.”
“I don’t think so, that he would have carried on [if the score would have been closer],” Ten Hag told reporters when questioned on the change during his post-match press conference.
“But you get him off because when you are 4-0 down, you don’t want to take a risk to get a bigger injury. But I think it’s that big, the injury, that he couldn’t carry on.”
Will Varane Be Available Against Omonia?
According to the Manchester Evening News, the injury is not severe, and he could be available for the team’s next Europa League game against Omonia.
As per the report, the problem is ‘not bad,’ and the Frenchman drove into the club’s Carrington training base on Monday as usual.
Man United’s medical staff will now need to examine the defender ahead of the European game in Cyprus, which comes before a trip to Everton in the Premier League next Sunday.
Varane has been an important player for the Red Devils this season, appearing in seven games across all competitions, including six in the Premier League, and developing a strong partnership with Lisandro Martinez at the back.
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Man City, on the other hand, scored six goals during Sunday’s Premier League match, with Varane exiting the field with the score 4-0 to Pep Guardiola’s side.
Varane was replaced at the weekend by Victor Lindelof, and the Sweden international could be in line to start on Thursday evening if Ten Hag decides not to risk the former Real Madrid center-back.
Club captain Harry Maguire missed the Manchester derby due to a hamstring injury, and Axel Tuanzebe is also out, leaving Man United bereft of options in the heart of the defence.
Phil Jones has also been left out of the club’s Premier League and Europa League teams, leaving the Englishman with only domestic cup competitions to compete in this season.
Man United will play eight more games before the end of the month, twice in the Europa League against Omonia and once in the Premier League against Everton, Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea, and West Ham United.
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