- Three of Ruben Amorim’s key performers suffered fitness issues in training
- Kobbie Mainoo’s problem is set to keep him sidelined for a couple of weeks
- LISTEN NOW: It’s All Kicking Off! Will Liverpool recover from Everton blow in season-defining week?
Manchester United have been dealt a crippling midfield dilemma ahead of their trip to Tottenham with three of Ruben Amorim’s regulars ruled out this weekend.
Kobbie Mainoo, Manuel Ugarte and Toby Collyer all suffered knocks during training sessions and are set for spells on the sideline, according to The Athletic.
Mainoo’s setback is expected to keep him out for more than a couple of weeks while Ugarte and Collyer are both major doubts ahead of tomorrow’s showdown.
Wonderkid Mainoo and Ugarte have been first-team mainstays since Amorim’s arrival and they were his preferred pairing for the 2-2 draw at Liverpool last month.
Collyer, another United academy graduate, has made two starts and four substitute appearances in recent weeks, moving him ahead of Casemiro in the pecking order.
However, Casemiro and Christian Eriksen could be brought back in from the cold this weekend, despite them playing a combined 176 minutes since starting alongside each other in the dismal 2-0 loss to Newcastle at Old Trafford on December 30.
Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo suffered an injury blow in training
Manuel Ugarte (left) and Toby Collyer (right) are major doubts for the trip to Tottenham
The triple injury headache piled the misery on Ruben Amorim with United languishing in 13th
Several youngsters have been drafted into senior training to fill in the gaps, including 19-year-old central midfielder Jack Moorhouse.
Moorhouse will also reportedly join the first-team when they travel down to London and if selected, it would be his first time in a senior squad.
He has scored three goals in seven Premier League 2 games this season for the U21s.
‘(It) was a good week until two days ago, we had some problems,’ Amorim said on Friday. ‘We don’t have players back, maybe we have one or two issues, we are waiting. We have one player who is sick, we will see on the weekend.’
Several players are continuing to work toward a return, including Luke Shaw, Mason Mount and Jonny Evans. Lisandro Martinez is a long-term absentee after damaging his ACL.
United and Spurs have won just eight Premier League matches apiece this season but Amorim believes there is more pressure on his shoulders than Ange Postecoglou’s.
‘I’m a huge fan of Ange Postecoglou,’ said Amorim. ‘But we are not winning games and I can understand the connection between me and Ange.
‘We have the same problems. In my opinion, with all due respect, I am in a bigger club with bigger pressure so I understand the pressure.’
