Rúben Amorim will be hoping for injury returns as he prepares his Manchester United squad to face Bournemouth in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.
Manchester United’s next fixture comes in the form of a trip to the south coast as Rúben Amorim’s men travel to face a high-flying Bournemouth side.
United will take on Andoni Iraola’s men on Sunday afternoon, with Amorim no doubt looking to seek revenge on the side that defeated them 3-0 at Old Trafford toward the end of 2024.
United’s last league fixture came against Wolverhampton Wanderers, with the Reds falling to a 1-0 defeat after a stunning late free kick from Pablo Sarabia left André Onana unable to keep his clean sheet intact.
However, Amorim’s side are currently focusing more heavily on their upcoming Europa League semi-final clash against Athletic Bilbao at the beginning of May, as if they win the competition, they will secure qualification to the Champions League next season while also securing an extra £85 million in funding.
It’s expected that Amorim will look to utilise those in the Academy within his Premier League sides for the rest of the campaign, but he will be hoping that a few senior United players will be making their returns to the squad this weekend.
All of United’s current unavailable players and their potential return dates have been established below.
Luke Shaw
What happened: Luke Shaw was not selected in the matchday squad for United’s fixture against Wolves after playing 75 minutes against Lyon in midweek.
What was said: Amorim confirmed that Shaw “did a very good job” against Lyon but played “a lot of minutes. So he has to feel that load, to rest now, and then we will train for the next game.”
Potential return date: 27 April – Bournemouth (A)
Matthijs de Ligt
What happened: Matthijs de Ligt has not been involved in any United squad since the 1-0 loss against Nottingham Forest, missing United’s last five fixtures with a foot injury.
What was said: Amorim confirmed last week that De Ligt “is going to return still this season,” with suggestions that he will be ready to play at the beginning of next month.
Potential return date: 1 May – Athletic Bilbao (A)
Amad
What happened: Amad was initially ruled out for the season after suffering a freak ankle injury in training, although reports have since confirmed he may be back in action early next month.
What was said: Amorim explained last week that “this month is, he’s not ready for this month, but we hope to have Amad still for this season.”
Potential return date: 7 May – Athletic Bilbao (H)
Altay Bayındır
What happened: Altay Bayındır was not included in United’s matchday squad as they faced Wolves at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon.
What was said: Club officials stated that the Turkish goalkeeper suffered a “small issue” in training ahead of the Wolves fixture, with his omission a precautionary measure.
Potential return date: 27 April – Bournemouth (A)
Ayden Heaven
What happened: Ayden Heaven was injured against Leicester City late last month but returned to the squad for a recent tie against Newcastle before being omitted for the win against Lyon last week.
What was said: On Heaven’s injury, Amorim explained that “Ayden is out for this [Lyon] game, he had a small issue in the same spot during training, a contact with a team-mate.”
Potential return date: 27 April – Bournemouth (A)
Toby Collyer
What happened: Much like De Ligt, midfielder Toby Collyer has not been part of a United squad since the 1-0 loss against Forest at the beginning of the month.
What was said: Speaking ahead of the first leg against Lyon, Amorim said, “Toby has a small issue in his leg, so we hope to have him in a few weeks.”
Potential return date: 27 April – Bournemouth (A)
Joshua Zirkzee
What happened: Joshua Zirkzee pulled up with a hamstring injury during the second half of United’s 4-1 loss against Newcastle earlier this month.
What was said: Amorim confirmed a few days after the tie that “Joshua is out for the season. So he’s not going to play more this season. Let’s prepare him for the next one.”
Potential return date: 19 July – Leeds United (pre-season)
Lisandro Martínez
What happened: Lisandro Martínez suffered a knee injury during the latter minutes of a 2-0 loss against Crystal Palace at the beginning of February.
What was said: A few days after his injury, a club statement confirmed his injury and read: “Assessment of the injury is ongoing to determine the appropriate course of treatment and the timescale for his rehabilitation.”
Potential return date: November 2025
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