Double blow for Man Utd as two Ten Hag signings miss training ahead of Aston Villa clash | OneFootball

Manchester United will likely remain without Mason Mount and Lisandro Martinez when they host Aston Villa on Sunday.

The Red Devils will be keen to bounce back from their first defeat under Michael Carrick, which occurred a couple of weeks back at the hands of Newcastle United.

DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL STRETTY NEWS APP FOR ALL THE LATEST UPDATES & BREAKING NEWS – STRAIGHT TO YOUR PHONE! ON APPLE & GOOGLE PLAY

On the other hand, the Villans are without a win in their last three Premier League contests, so they’ll be determined to earn a result at Old Trafford that prevents them from slipping further down the table, especially with Liverpool and Chelsea breathing down their necks. Both clubs will enter the contest on 51 points.

Mason Mount raising concerns among Man Utd fans with postponed return

Due to the major importance of this fixture, Carrick was hoping for some positive news on the injury front. In recent weeks, the manager has been teasing Mount’s return to action, suggesting that the midfielder will be available sooner rather than later.

But according to The Sun’s Man Utd correspondent, Samuel Luckhurst, the former Chelsea midfielder was nowhere to be seen on the training ground.

The journalist notes that Carrick had expected the 27-year-old to return ‘very, very soon’ at the start of February after suffering a ‘knock’ in training. Therefore, the Englishman’s continued absence raises concerns of a possible injury setback.

Lisandro Martinez still out of action

In addition to Mount, Luckhurst reveals that Lisandro Martinez also remains absent from training at Carrington.

The Argentine overcame an ACL injury to regain a starting role in Man Utd’s lineup by the end of December, when Ruben Amorim was still in charge.

Under Carrick, Martinez formed a robust centre-back partnership with Harry Maguire. However, he had to miss the last three contests against Everton, Crystal Palace and Newcastle due to a calf injury.

While it remains unclear when the 28-year-old will be back, Carrick should at least be able to rely on Noussair Mazraoui, who has apparently recovered from the knock he suffered at the end of the previous match and has already resumed training.

The Moroccan is an option for both full-back slots, and can even serve as an emergency centre half. Nevertheless, his services won’t be needed at the heart of the backline, as Maguire should team up with Leny Yoro, while Ayden Heaven represents an alternative option.