Erik ten Hag denies Man Utd star's request to face Arsenal but injured trio could return
Manchester United have been ravaged by injuries this season but Erik ten Hag is hoping to welcome back three players to his squad for this Sunday's home game against Arsenal
Erik ten Hag has denied Lisandro Martinez the chance to return for Manchester United on Sunday when they face Arsenal.
Martinez, 26, has endured a injury-hit campaign, much like many of his Red Devils team-mates. The Argentine centre-back has missed a total of 26 games this season but is now back in training after a calf strain and desperate to play his part in United's run-in.
But Ten Hag has stepped in and decided that it's too soon for Martinez's own good, with the FA Cup final little over two weeks away and Argentina taking part in the Copa America this summer. "Yesterday, Licha came to me and wanted to play on Sunday against Arsenal," Ten Hag explained in his pre-match media conference.
"But he's not ready yet, he needs a little bit more time to go through the process, but he is so desperate. There are more: Raphael Varane, Victor Lindelof. Luke Shaw had a setback in his process as well but there is still hope and he will fight to be available for the final.
"(Martinez) is desperate to play, he misses so much, the team missed him. He wants to play but he had three injuries across the season and now he is almost there, injury-free, at the end of the healing process but now he has to get back into team training and into matches."
Fortunately for the Red Devils boss, three other players are more likely to return in Sunday's huge fixture which will have implications on both the Premier League title race and United's chances of qualifying for Europe. Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford and Scott McTominay all missed Monday's humiliating 4-0 loss away to Crystal Palace but Ten Hag 'hopes' that the trio will be available to face title-chasing Arsenal, although there's bad news regarding Mason Mount.
"Players trained this morning," the Dutchman confirmed on Friday. "Bruno was on the pitch and Scott McTominay was back on the pitch. Some players are returning but also I have to report unfortunately yesterday Mason Mount fell out, so he will not be available for Sunday.
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"We have some doubts [for players to play again this season]. Players are fighting to be available. That is so amazing. They all try. They are all desperate to play."
Ten Hag, who's been left frustrated by the amount of injuries which the Red Devils have had to deal with this term, elaborated by saying: "I will never gamble with a player, never. It's about them, it's about their futures. That's most important about their careers and I have to take responsibility for it.
"The club is the most important but the safety, the health of the player is high level. Rashford trained this morning as well. We have to see how he recovered from this but it looks quite good.
"Hopefully he makes the training tomorrow and then see if he's available for Sunday. I don't take big risks with players now to win on Sunday with the risk they drop out again. But I think it's not so different in a normal situation if you didn't have a cup final."
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