From Bad to worse: Ten Hag confirms THREE stars will not be available for Carabao Cup on Tuesday – It’s a very critical situation

During the lunchtime match at St Mary’s, Manchester United experienced a sense of déjà vu as manager Erik ten Hag faced another challenging defensive situation. In their 3-0 victory over Southampton, Ten Hag was compelled to make changes to three out of four of his starting defenders, and the fourth defender also ended up limping towards the conclusion of the game.

Lisandro Martinez, one of the starting center-backs, had to be substituted due to what appeared to be a groin strain. Despite this, he left the field with a smile on his face, walking off alongside Ten Hag without showing signs of significant discomfort.

Martinez’s defensive partner, Matthijs de Ligt, also had to be taken off the field, but he later reassured that his issue was only a cramp. Harry Maguire, who replaced Martinez, sustained a knock during the game and was seen limping as it ended.

The most concerning injury, however, was that of right-back Noussair Mazraoui. He had to leave the field to receive treatment and now seems doubtful for the upcoming match on Tuesday.

With several key defenders already sidelined, including Victor Lindelof, Leny Yoro, Luke Shaw, and Tyrell Malacia, Ten Hag might struggle to field a full defensive lineup for the next game.

In his post-match comments to manutd.com, Ten Hag confirmed that Shaw would not be available for Tuesday’s match. When asked about the return of Shaw, Mason Mount, and Rasmus Hojlund, he expressed hope that they might rejoin the squad in the coming weeks, although they would not be ready for the next game. He did not mention Malacia, Yoro, or Lindelof, suggesting their recoveries may be even further off.

Regarding De Ligt’s injury, Ten Hag mentioned, “Hopefully it’s nothing serious; we need to assess it today or tomorrow to determine the extent.”

Currently, Diogo Dalot and Jonny Evans are the only defenders fully fit ahead of Tuesday’s fixture. If other defenders are unable to recover in time, it might be necessary to bring in young Harry Amass, who showed promise during pre-season, to play at left-back. Additionally, Casemiro could be called upon to act as an emergency center-back, a role he filled during the final minutes of today’s game.