Early team news for Arsenal trip
Three Manchester United players who did not feature in the defeat to Liverpool earlier this week trained on Thursday, ahead of Saturday’s Premier League clash with Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.
Scott McTominay was on the bench for the Reds at Anfield ‘in case of an emergency’, according to Ralf Rangnick.
The Scotland international remained an unused substitute as United were beaten 4-0, while Cristiano Ronaldo and Raphael Varane were not in the matchday squad at all.
Ronaldo, who scored a brilliant hat-trick in his last United outing, missed the game on Merseyside in order to spend time with his family after the desperately sad news regarding the passing of his baby son.
Meanwhile Varane has been absent for each of our last three games since the 1-1 draw with Leicester at the beginning of April.
The trio were all pictured working at Carrington this morning (Thursday), and we expect interim manager Ralf Rangnick to provide a further update in his Friday press conference, which you can watch live on MUTV, ManUtd.com and in the United App.
Paul Pogba suffered a calf muscle injury during the early stages at Anfield, a problem which Ralf suggested may keep him out of the games with Arsenal and Chelsea.
Fellow midfielder Fred also faces a race to be fit, having picked up a hip flexor problem at Goodison Park on 9 April, as United lost 1-0 to Everton.
Edinson Cavani and Luke Shaw are longer-term absentees, with Rangnick recently saying he expects the pair to be sidelined until May.
ARSENAL TEAM NEWS
The Gunners have been hit by injuries to three key starters in recent weeks, with Takehiro Tomiyasu (calf) and Kieran Tierney (knee) both missing the three defeats to Crystal Palace, Brighton and Southampton.
Thomas Partey departed the pitch at Selhurst Park with a thigh problem, just before the Eagles scored their final goal of a 3-0 win, and both he and Tierney may have played for the last time this season.
Tomiyasu has featured just once since New Year’s Day, but is edging closer to a return, so it will be up to Mikel Arteta to decide whether he changes the defence which helped Arsenal to a 4-2 win at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday, should the Japanese international be fit enough to play.