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A Manchester United youngster reportedly “banished” by Erik ten Hag earlier this season may return to the fold to help solve the club’s defensive crisis.
Ten Hag admitted that Lisandro Martinez’s injury during the club’s Europa League quarter-final draw with Sevilla “does not like great.”
The Argentine looked visibly upset when he was helped off the Old Trafford pitch by Sevilla's Gonzalo Montiel and Marcos Acuna in the 86th minute.
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He was then placed on a stretcher and carried away for treatment. The same game, in which United squandered a two-goal lead by conceding a pair of late own goals, also saw Raphael Varane forced off at halftime with an injury.
While the seriousness of the respective injuries is unknown, Ten Hag could be without his first-choice centre-back pairing for a while.
And with Luke Shaw also injured, and Maguire suspended for United’s FA Cup semi-final against Brighton in nine days, Ten Hag may turn to club youngster Teden Mengi.
Mengi “banished” by Ten Hag
According to the Sun, Ten Hag had to “banish” five players from United’s training centre at Carrington last year - with three of those players still at Old Trafford.
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Despite the outgoings of long-serving midfielders Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard, Juan Mata and Nemanja Matic last summer, United reportedly needed to reduce numbers at the training ground.
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This is because the club’s AON Training Centre allegedly only has room for 24 first-team players.
In turn, per the Sun, Ten Hag had to remove five players from the first-team setup and move them across to the under-23s. Those players were reportedly Phil Jones, Brandon Williams and Axel Tuanzebe, as well as youngsters Shola Shoretire and Mengi.
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Mengi has remained at the club however, having played several games for United's reserve side this term and featured in the Papa John's Trophy.
Featured Image Credit: AlamyTopics: Football, Manchester United, Erik Ten Hag, Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez, Injury