Manchester United suffer fresh Southampton blow as “cautious approach” detailed

Manchester United have suffered a fresh blow ahead of their Premier League club against Southampton as their “cautious approach” has been detailed.

The Reds have had a tough start to the season, securing just one Premier League win in their first three games.

A 3-0 defeat to rivals Liverpool followed a last-minute loss to Brighton last weekend. Although the opening win against Fulham showed potential, Erik ten Hag’s side still has many areas to improve.

The international break came at a good time for players to find form with their countries or work hard behind the scenes. Injured players were also expected to come closer to a return.

Rasmus Højlund and Luke Shaw were both set to return to the squad for the trip to Southampton this weekend, but recent reports have suggested otherwise.

United’s cautious approach to Hojlund’s return

According to a new report from ESPN, the Reds are going to take a cautious approach with Rasmus Højlund’s return from injury, even if it means extending his time on the sidelines.

Højlund sustained a hamstring injury during United’s pre-season tour. The club initially expected him to recover in time for full fitness after the current international break.

This lined up a return to the squad for the trip to Southampton, which has quickly become a must-win for Ten Hag after the poor start to the season.

However, due to concerns over the 21-year-old’s lack of fitness buildup over the summer, United are opting for a more measured rehabilitation process.

While Højlund has been working out in the Carrington gym and participating in individual training sessions on the grass, he has not yet joined full-team training.

The Danish striker will be reassessed this week ahead of United’s game against The Saints on Saturday, but ESPN sources indicate the club is in no rush to push him back into action.

Instead, the plan is to gradually reintegrate him into the squad. The club aims to avoid a repeat of last season’s injury woes, which contributed to their eighth-place Premier League finish.

Good and bad about the decision

There are good and bad sides to United’s decision. Ultimately, it is the right move to wait until a player is entirely ready to return, and hopefully, that will stop any reoccurring issues.

However, there seems to be a similar trend to last season, when players were due to return to the team before delays extended their time on the sidelines.

It also does not help that Ten Hag’s side are currently struggling to score goals, and any further time out for their main goalscorer is not ideal.

United have five more games to play in September, and while a cautious approach is sensible, Højlund could be missing out on multiple important games that he was expected to be available for.

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