Manchester United stars such as Bruno Fernandes and Alejandro Garnacho have been on international duty this week. Some high-profile names, including Marcus Rashford for England, were left out around and weren’t picked to play. Harry Maguire, a regular in the Three Lions squad, is dealing with a foot injury.
Unfortunately, Victor Lindelof has been added to the injury list after he limped off in Sweden’s 2-1 UEFA Nations League win over Slovakia on Saturday, raising a potential concern for Amorim. The veteran defender has been a bit-part player for United this season and in the latter stages of his Old Trafford career.
Lindelof, 30, might be hopeful of some game time under the Portuguese tactician as the 39-year-old is expected to play a formation consisting of three back defenders and functional wing backs on the sides. This is good news for the club, and fans are hoping to see two summer defensive signings, Matthijs De Ligt and Leny Yoro, play alongside Lisandro Martinez. The trio would preferably be the first choice back three under Amorim, with Maguire, Johnny Evans, and Lindelof in reserve if needed.
Victor Lindelof looks to have joined Manchester United's injury list
The former Benfica defender, who was teammates with Amorim, has handed the new head coach somewhat of a headache, with Yoro still getting back to match fitness following a three-month absence. Martinez also withdrew from international duty with Argentina following an injury picked up in the Red Devils' 3-0 win against Leicester City last time out. He wasn’t part of Lionel Scaloni's world champions' 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. Martinez still had permission to stay in Argentina with his family for the entire international break but returned to England on Saturday to begin work early with Amorim.
The 26-year-old will undergo medical tests to assess the severity of the discomfort that prevented him from playing in the international break. The club would hope that it’s not too severe and he can return for the game against Ipswich Town (November 24). Amorim’s squad management is already put to the test as he deals with some injury concerns even before his first game in charge.
Injuries have been a significant concern for the Red Devils for over a year now, with the club enduring the most players out injured last season, along with Newcastle United. Former United manager Erik Erik ten Hag, who was sacked by the club last month, certainly believed that injuries played a big part in a dissapointing league campaign.
Manchester United finished 8th, the club’s worst finish in Premier League history. It was eventually included among the factors considered by co-owners INEOS as grounds to dismiss the Dutchman. Injuries seem to be an ever-present concern for the Red Devils, with key players already out injured even at the start of this season. Amorim has been in Manchester this week, and he's got to work with his squad while adapting to his new role. He has been pictured meeting some of the players at Carrington and sightseeing around the club, the stadium, and the city.