Marc Skinner has provided the latest on his Manchester United Women squad ahead of our UEFA Champions League second leg with Atletico Madrid.
The boss is hopeful that Jayde Riviere will be available for selection, after being withdrawn shortly after going down in pain during Sunday’s 2-1 win over London City Lionesses.
Melvine Malard missed that game with illness, something that Skinner says has been going around the camp. Elisabeth Terland was one player that he says didn’t train as a result on Wednesday morning, but Malard was spotted at the session which is an encouraging sign.
Marc went on to rule Anna Sandberg out with the injury that she picked up in the first leg, and explained that Fridolina Rolfo is now more likely to return in Sunday’s Adobe Women’s FA Cup tie away to Chelsea.
“We’ve had a bit of illness in the camp, obviously Melvine missed the last game. We’ve had a couple not train today, just trying to protect them from that,”Marc told journalists, while sat alongside Phallon Tullis-Joyce at the pre-match press conference on Wednesday.
“Teri [Terland] was one of those. Anna is probably going to be out for a few weeks, from a little action that she had against Atletico in the first leg.
“Jayde, we’re hopeful, we’re going to try and see on her, she may or may not make this game.
“Frido, we were hopeful that she would make this game, but it’s probably looking hopefully more like Sunday.
“There’s a few absentees, but it is what it is right now, we’re down and in business.”
Marc went on to provide more clarity on Sandberg’s injury, initially believed to be a problem with her calf, after further assessments over the last few days.
“It was more a little bit in the knee, so she made an action, there’s a little bit of a tidy up [that needs doing] around her meniscus. She will be around four, to six to eight weeks, best is four, middle is six, worst case is eight.
“I think [if it was eight she would be back] probably three or four games before the end of the season. So yeah, she’d be in with us for the last part of the season, but we’re hopeful we can get it to six.
“There won’t be any risk with her, we won’t take any risk, she’s a young player so we’ll make sure she’s rehabbed effectively.”
Leah Galton and Ella Toone are still sidelined with back and hip issues respectively, while Celin Bizet Donnum remains unavailable as she is expecting a baby.
ATLETI'S TEAM NEWS
Defender Silvia Lloris was forced off with a problem picked up while trying to stop Malard's goal in our 3-0 first-leg win, and Atleti have since confirmed that Lloris has undergone successful surgery after rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee.
That injury - which we wish Lloris the best in her recovery from - will see her miss the second leg, but Gio Garbelini could feature again. The winger suffered a leg fracture in October's league-phase encounter between the clubs but returned to action as we met again last Thursday.
Former United midfielder Vilde Boe Risa could be involved once more too, having forced Phallon Tullis-Joyce into an impressive save to repel a free-kick during the second half in Madrid last week.