Nemanja Matic could be out for a month after sustaining a ‘nasty knock’ in training.
The Manchester United midfielder will miss Sunday’s clash with Liverpool at Old Trafford and also faces a fight to be back for the trip to Paris Saint Germain next month.
He didn’t arrive with the rest of the squad as United turned up at Old Trafford, with Anthony Martial also absent following a groin strain.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is already without the suspended Paul Pogba for the Champions League round of 16 second leg with the French giants. And the potential absence of Matic is another major blow to United’s chances of overturning a 2-0 deficit.
The Serbian international has been in outstanding form under Solskjaer – forming part of a three-man midfield with Pogba and Ander Herrera.
That trio have become Solskjaer’s preferred engine room and have been key to a run of 11 wins from 13 games in all competitions.
Meanwhile, Solskjaer claims United’s resurgence is not complete under him – insisting there is far more to come.
He wrote in his programme notes: “For our part, we know we still have another gear another gear to go to. I think we’ve learned the lessons from our game here against PSG earlier this month; now we want to show that by putting in a huge performance in a huge fixture here at Old Trafford.”
Man Utd vs Liverpool line-ups
Man Utd XI: de Gea, Young, Smalling, Lindelof, Shaw, Ander Herrera, McTominay, Pogba, Mata, Lukaku, Rashford
Subs: Bailly, Sanchez, Lingard, Andreas Pereira, Fred, Dalot, Romero
Liverpool XI: Alisson, Milner, Matip, van Dijk, Robertson, Henderson, Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Salah, Firmino, Mane
Subs: Keita, Sturridge, Lallana, Mignolet, Shaqiri, Origi, Alexander-Arnold
Referee: Michael Oliver (Northumberland)
