Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has revealed both Scott McTominay and Paul Pogba will be out for "a little while", as he prepares his Manchester United team for a few games without the pivotal midfield pair.
Both players are currently nursing ankle injuries and will sit out today's
And, as Solskjaer told the official United app , neither player is likely to return for the upcoming games against Astana or Aston Villa.
Their absences mean youngster James Garner has a chance of making his full Premier League debut for United at Bramall Lane later.
On McTominay, who was carried off on a stretcher during United's 3-1 win over Brighton before the international break, Solskjaer said: “Yeah, he’ll be out for a little while still.
"He’s not been training with us, he’s still recovering and I wonder if we can see him maybe around Tottenham, [Manchester] City, about that time.
"We don’t know yet. He heals quick, Scotty, but he won’t be ready for Sheffield United or Astana, probably not [Aston] Villa either.”
On Pogba, he said: "He's improving. Obviously when you're in a cast for that long you do lose your muscle and gradually you have to step it up. He's not started on his football work yet and it will still be a little while before we see him."
While United were in good form before the international break, they now have to start again, beginning with today's game at Sheffield United.
But Solskjaer doesn't believe the loss of momentum will affect his team too much. He's optimistic that the likes of Axel Tuanzebe, Luke Shaw and Nemanja Matic are recovering from their own injury problems.
“It [momentum] was there but, then again, Axel, Luke and Nemanja are back in training," he said.
There are more numbers in the squad to pick and choose from. We just have to take it and that’s what it is.
"The international break came and now we’re ready to go. Some of the boys went to Dubai and trained there, some went away and had some good games at international level, so everyone is fresh and happy. We should be kicking on.”
