Ralf Rangnick considers turning to youth with Harry Maguire, Jadon Sancho out for Manchester United against Chelsea
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Published 27/04/2022 at 13:50 GMT
Manchester United's top-four hopes could be over with a defeat to Chelsea on Thursday, and they will be without two key players for the match in Harry Maguire and Jadon Sancho. Maguire is out with a knee injury and Sancho has tonsillitis. Ralf Rangnick's side are sixth in the Premier League table, six points behind fourth-placed Arsenal and having played a game more.
'I can't say players get on well with each other' - Man Utd's Rangnick
Manchester United will be without Harry Maguire and Jadon Sancho as their injury worries continue to mount ahead of their Premier League clash with Chelsea.
Anything but a win for United at Old Trafford on Thursday would likely spell the end of their top-four chances.
They are currently sixth in the table, six points behind fourth-placed Arsenal and having played a game more.
United will be without Maguire (knee), Sancho (tonsillitis), Edinson Cavani, Paul Pogba and Luke Shaw for the game, while Aaron Wan-Bissaka is a doubt.
“We will play the best possible team out of those players that are available," said Manchester United interim manager Ralf Rangnick.
"Fred is unfortunately not yet available. He tried to train yesterday but after training I had a long conversation with him and he just told me that he doesn't feel fully fit, he's not at 100 per cent.
"With a player like Fred who's always committed to give his very best, I don't think it makes sense, with the muscular injury that he had, to play him too early, because that would mean we take the risk of a re-injury and this is something that I don't want to do. So he won't be available unfortunately tomorrow.
“And apart from that we have Harry Maguire who is not available. He has some issues with his knee, not a big thing – some niggle in his knee. He hasn't been training, neither yesterday or today.
“Paul obviously, Fred, Edinson, Luke Shaw, and Jadon is ill, he has tonsillitis since yesterday, couldn't train today and will also be not available tomorrow.”
Maguire started on the bench in Manchester United's last match - a 3-1 defeat to Arsenal - after a bomb threat to his home.
The diminishing lack of options may see Rangnick turn to youngsters like Hannibal Mejbri, Alejandro Garnacho and Alvaro Fernandez.
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Will Hannibal Mejbri start against Chelsea?
Image credit: Getty Images
“It's possible. We have quite a few players missing tomorrow and one or two still with question marks so we will have to wait and see until tomorrow to see if, for example, Aaron Wan-Bissaka can play.
“I already played Hannibal at Liverpool so it's possible [I’ll play youngsters] but we also have to be fair enough to those players.
“It has to be the right moment, they should have a chance to play well and perform well so it's not just pushing them into a game. I think it should also be the right moment.”
United have seen their top-four hopes fade after just one win from their last five games. They were beaten by Arsenal after losing 4-0 at Liverpool in their previous outing.
"If results are not going well, this always means the morale and energy is not as good as it would be,” said Rangnick.
"We have to perform. This is what we get paid for. They know who the manager will be and have to show, in front of 75,00 people, we can beat a team like Chelsea.
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'I can't say players get on well with each other' - Man Utd's Rangnick
"This is our job, this is what everybody has to do and this is what we are working at for the whole week in preparation for the game."
Rangnick is set to be replaced in the summer by current Ajax boss Erik ten Hag.
Rangnick says a lack of Champions League football would be a blow for recruitment over the summer transfer window.
"It would be better in the Champions League but it also affects other clubs," he said.
"The renewal of Bruno Fernandes contract showed this is still an attractive club, a massively interesting club. I hope to help Erik ten Hag change the whole approach so Man Utd can be a top club again."
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