Shaw and Mainoo Doubts Leave Man Utd Sweating Over Atletico Trip
Luke Shaw and Kobbie Mainoo missed Manchester United training on Monday, leaving their involvement in the Champions League trip to Atletico Madrid in serious doubt.
Key takeaways
- United will make a late decision on whether Shaw and Mainoo travel to Madrid.
- Benjamin Sesko, Patrick Dorgu and Noussair Mazraoui were also absent from the 23-player training group.
- Matthijs de Ligt trained as he works his way back towards full fitness.
- United began their Champions League campaign with a 4-0 win over Sabah, while Atletico lost 2-1 to Liverpool.
- Atletico arrive on a four-match winning run; United have not won in four games in all competitions.
United await medical calls
Michael Carrick will receive further medical updates on Shaw and Mainoo before the squad flies to Spain, with Monday afternoon set to determine whether either player is included in the travelling party for the Metropolitano.
Sesko remains sidelined by a shin issue, in a similar area to the problem that ruled him out for the final three games of last season and throughout pre-season. Carrick said last week that the injury was not an exact recurrence, but that the club were still assessing the likely recovery timeframe.
“It is in a similar place, although it is not precisely the same injury,” Carrick said. “We are still working through it and do not yet have a clear answer on how long it will take. Naturally, we hope it will be soon.”
Dorgu is expected to miss several weeks after sustaining a hamstring injury on Denmark duty. Mazraoui has also been unavailable since withdrawing from Morocco’s squad after suffering a knock against Lesotho. He was considered for a late return before the Tottenham Hotspur match but did not make the matchday group.
There was some encouragement at Carrington, however. Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez were among the senior players involved, while academy prospects Harry Amass and Ayden Heaven also trained.
Form contrast before Madrid test
United need a response after a difficult stretch domestically. They have drawn Premier League matches against Fulham and Tottenham, while defeats to Manchester City and Brighton have left them without a victory in four outings. The Brighton loss also ended their EFL Cup campaign.
That run sits in sharp contrast to Atletico’s momentum. The Spanish side have won their past four fixtures, beating Real Sociedad, Osasuna, Real Madrid and Alaves.
United opened the league phase with a commanding 4-0 victory over Sabah. Atletico, meanwhile, began with a 2-1 defeat against Liverpool and will be seeking their first Champions League points when United arrive in Madrid.
