Four games into the new Premier League season and Manchester United are already struggling with their away form while the entire squad is dealing with a multitude of injuries in key positions.
The defence bore a very makeshift look towards the end of the game against Arsenal with Harry Maguire and Jonny Evans lining up in central defence.
Both of Erik ten Hag’s first-choice centre-backs — Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez are injured with the hope that the Argentine’s one is not as serious.
United’s defensive injury woes
Even Victor Lindelof hobbled off against the Gunners while both left-backs Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia are out of commission for the time being.
It is the club’s inability to offload stars and recruit properly under the Glazers that caused the manager to have to play the former skipper and the Northern Ireland international in such a crunch game.
Ten Hag would have liked some more options to be available at his disposal after missing out on the likes of Kim Min-jae, Benjamin Pavard, and Jean-Clair Todibo.
The manager could be about to get another option on the bench from the academy. Rhys Bennett, who suffered an injury during pre-season, is close to making a comeback.
The FA Youth Cup-winning captain suffered an injury during the pre-season fixture against Leeds United and missed out on the chance to travel to the US for the pre-season tour.
“After a positive start back on the pitch, I have picked up a minor injury. Hopefully soon back out there playing,” the player had written on social media back then.
Bennett close to making a comeback
Now, The Manchester Evening News has revealed that the academy graduate is “close to a return to full training”.
The 19-year-old had impressed the Dutch boss last season during the World Cup break when he was part of the Spain pre-season squad.
He subsequently was named in the matchday squads for the Carabao Cup game against Burnley and in the Premier League for a game against Nottingham Forest.
Bennett, who is highly-regarded in the academy, is cool and calm on the ball and he could find himself on the bench, especially if other fellow centre-backs do not recover in time.