Manchester United loanee Ethan Laird has been warned by his Milton Keynes Dons manager over the rough treatment he receives in games, after suffering a shoulder injury on Tuesday night.
The 19-year-old right-back has done well while on loan with the League One side since January, getting his first proper taste of senior football — after making his United debut in the Europa League last season.
Laird is highly rated by the youth coaches at Old Trafford and could be a long-term option to back up Aaron Wan-Bissaka on the right side of Ole Gunnnar Solskjaer's back four. He's now made 15 league starts for MK, though came off after a bash to the shoulder during Tuesday night's 2-1 win over Plymouth.
"Ethan did well to last as long as he did – he's still quicker than most even with one arm," MK Dons boss Russell Martin said afterwards, with Laird replaced after an hour.
"Ethan gets kicked a lot because he's a threat. He's taken some really physical treatment in the last couple of games, and tonight he landed funny on his shoulder.
"I thought he might have to come off, but it was strapped up by [physio] Simon Crampton at half time and it kept him going for a bit.
"But he's exhausted as well. It's his first loan playing first team football in a team that demands so much of him with a lot of physical demand. I think he deserved a break for the last half an hour."
United will assess Laird's long-term future in the summer, when he turns 20 and will have two more years remaining on his contract.
