"A race against the clock, not 100 per cent" - Erik ten Hag provides injury update on 2 key players ahead of Manchester United v Man City
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has provided an update on Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Casemiro ahead of the Manchester derby on October 29.
The Red Devils host Manchester City in the season's first Manchester derby in the Premier League on Sunday. Ten Hag's side have had a poor start to the season as they sit eighth in the table with five wins and four defeats. City, meanwhile, are third with seven wins and two losses.
While poor form has been a big reason for Manchester United's downfall this season, they have been majorly affected by injuries as well. The likes of Luke Shaw and Lisandro Martinez are out due to long-term injuries.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka has also been out since September while Casemiro missed their last two games. Ahead of the derby, Ten Hag confirmed that the former has returned to training while Casemiro is still a doubt for the game. He said (via Manchester Evening News):
"Aaron [Wan-Bissaka] was training today, Casa is a race against the clock, not 100%."
Wan-Bissaka has been a big miss for Manchester United, with the likes of Shaw, Tyrell Malacia, and Sergio Reguilon also suffering injuries. Diogo Dalot and Victor Lindelof have deputized as fullbacks in his absence.
Casemiro, meanwhile, contributed four goals and one assist in 11 games across competitions before his injury but was criticized for his defensive frailties.
Erik ten Hag assesses Manchester United's performance levels this season
The Red Devils have arguably looked poor in every game this season despite grinding out some results. They have been dominated by the likes of Wolverhampton Wanderers, Burnley, and Crystal Palace - fixtures Manchester United were expected to comfortably win.
Ahead of the Manchester derby on Sunday, Erik ten Hag shared his thoughts on his side's performances, saying (via Manchester Evening News):
"I said in the right direction, we have a way to go, I see positives and I see also negatives, probably what Christian is referring to, we are not consistently in position at the level we can be where we show in games we can be, like Arsenal away and the first 20 minutes at Bayern away."
He added:
"We should do this on a consistent basis, but pressing we’re quite good, we have the most ball regains from the whole Premier League, the most middle regains in the whole league, our defending and pressing organisation, that is us.
"But we don’t take benefit in the attacking transition moments, we have the ability in our teams to take benefits from it. This is how to grow and progress and the games will become more easy."
Despite their struggles, Manchester United have won their last three games across competitions. They beat Brentford and Sheffield United in the Premier League before seeing off Copenhagen in the UEFA Champions League.