Manchester United have been dealt a blow after learning that one of their players has suffered a fitness setback, according to an update from a reliable journalist.
Man Utd injury news
The Red Devils have Casemiro, Lisandro Martinez, Amad Diallo, Kobbie Mainoo, Mason Mount, Christian Eriksen and Jonny Evans all out on the sidelines with their own problems as it stands, but that didn’t seem to affect their performance last night.
In the Premier League, Erik ten Hag’s side secured a 2-1 victory over rivals Chelsea at Old Trafford on Wednesday evening, but the manager was missing another one of his squad members who has also recently been on the treatment table.
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Tyrell Malacia is yet to make a single appearance in any competition this season due to sustaining a serious knee injury (Transfermarkt – Malacia statistics), and the left-back has been working around the clock in order to stage his comeback as soon as possible.
The Netherlands international, however, has recently undergone a second round of surgery and he’s therefore not expected to return to the squad until the start of next year at the earliest, and the 24-year-old’s absence being extended won’t be what the boss wants to hear.
Dean Jones reacts to Malacia's setback
Reacting to GiveMeSport, reporter Dean Jones admitted that Man United will be gutted to be without Malacia for even longer than initially anticipated, even though he’s not necessarily a regular feature of the starting line-up.
"It's definitely a blow for Malacia to be having a setback. We all talk about the pressure that Ten Hag is constantly under, but you've got to have some sympathy for the fact he never has a full squad available to him.
"He has never had a first-choice XI or, deeper than that, available to him. I know he wouldn't really consider Malacia to be first-choice in a starting XI, but even having the potential to bring him in would be nice."
Ten Hag has a real "jewel" in Malacia
While Malacia isn’t a guaranteed name on the team sheet at Man United, Ten Hag will know the defender's qualities, and he currently ranks in the 97th percentile for tackles and the 95th percentile for interceptions, showing what a rock he can be in the backline (FBRef – Malacia statistics).
The Rotterdam native is also capable of making a positive impact at the opposite end of the pitch having posted 19 contributions (12 assists and seven goals) since the start of his career, representing that he can get involved with the action both defensively and offensively, making him a well-rounded player.
Malacia facing longer on the sidelines will come as a blow to the coach because he is a “jewel” down that left-hand side, as hailed by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, so the staff will be hoping that he is able to stage his comeback as soon as possible in 2024.