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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
Samuel Luckhurst

Manchester United get Raphael Varane boost and give injury updates on Scott McTominay and Alejandro Garnacho

Raphael Varane is expected to return before the end of the season for Manchester United but will not be available for their upcoming games against Brighton and West Ham.

Varane sustained an injury in the Europa League quarter-final first leg against Sevilla three weeks ago but is closer to a return than Scott McTominay, who has also been sidelined for three weeks.

Alejandro Garnacho has resumed squad training but United manager Erik ten Hag suggested the Brighton match on Thursday night is too soon for the Argentine. Garnacho has not played since March 19 due to an ankle injury.

Read more: United confident of more contract renewals

"Prognosis: Rapha is closer than Scott McTominay in this moment but still for the coming two games they are not available," Ten Hag said.

"We have one training but I think it's too soon (for Garnacho) to be available, but I think he's short, he needs some training and then shortly he'll be available."

Varane could return for United against Wolves on May 13.

United take on Brighton less than two weeks after their taxing FA Cup semi-final against Roberto de Zerbi's side which they won on a penalty shootout.

Ten Hag's first match in charge of United was a 2-1 defeat at home to Brighton when Graham Potter was in charge and De Zerbi has sustained momentum, with Brighton eighth in the Premier League table.

United have not won at the Amex Stadium with a crowd present since Brighton's promotion in 2017 and Ten Hag expects they will want "revenge" after their narrow semi-final loss.

"It's a normal reaction," he added. "I think everyone involved in top sport, if you get beaten you want to have revenge and that is normal they have a huge motivation to beat us but we have to match that and do more, show more hunger than them to win this game and willingness is the word for tomorrow."

United have won only one of their ten away games against teams in the top 12 of the Premier League, with Brighton the final top-half opponent they will face. "I don't think about away or home, we have to win every game, so we have to win tomorrow as well."

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