Manchester United injury news vs PAOK as Ruud van Nistelrooy expecting star’s possible return

Ruud van Nistelrooy is hoping for an injury return as he readies Manchester United to face PAOK in the fourth round of Europa League fixtures.

Manchester United are looking to secure their first Europa League victory of 2024/25 as Ruud van Nistelrooy prepares his side to face Greek side PAOK on Thursday evening.

So far in the competition this season, United have drawn 1-1 with FC Twente, 3-3 with FC Porto, and 1-1 with Fenerbahce, and are sat 21st in the competition’s standings, four points behind the top eight that automatically qualify for the knockout phase.

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Although they have scored five goals across three games, a shaky defence has meant that on every occasion, the club have let one or two-goal leads slip, leading to serious questions surrounding the side’s on-field structure.

However, out of United’s eight pre-planned games in the competition, the three played so far are arguably the three hardest, meaning that should the squad get their act together, they can force their way up the table.

Man United’s injury latest

Manchester United are currently facing a wave of injuries. It was confirmed last week that Christian Eriksen was unavailable as he missed the squad that triumphed over Leicester, leaving Casemiro, Manuel Ugarte, and Bruno Fernandes to fill the midfield positions.

In addition, it was revealed last Friday that young talent Toby Collyer will be sidelined for a month after suffering an injury while playing for England’s U20s during the October international break.

This limits United’s senior midfield options to the trio that started against Leicester and Chelsea, with Academy players expected to fill in the gaps.

Defensive issues persist, with four players still on the injury list and no updates on Harry Maguire’s return. Leny Yoro and Tyrell Malacia aim to rejoin the squad after the November international break, though Luke Shaw has faced another setback.

United’s midfield concerns deepen with Mason Mount and Kobbie Mainoo also out of action, which left Victor Lindelöf playing in midfield as a substitute against Chelsea. Winger Antony remains sidelined due to an ankle issue.

However, the Manchester Evening News has revealed that Mount is back in training and is progressing on his return from injury, although it is currently unclear if he is ready for selection.

Positive updates

However, after the 1-1 draw against Chelsea, interim manager Van Nistelrooy revealed that he hopes for injury returns in midfield, which will most likely be Eriksen.

“We are thin, especially in midfield,” he explained on Sunday evening. “We had no midfielders on the bench, but we hope we can bring some back for the coming week so we can have more options from the bench.”

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