Heaton provides injury update
Manchester United will be without goalkeeper Tom Heaton for a few weeks, as he recovers from an ankle injury he picked up prior to the international break.
The 36-year-old has regularly been named in the Reds’ matchday squad under Erik ten Hag this season and kept clean sheets in his two appearances, which came in the Carabao Cup against Charlton Athletic and Nottingham Forest.
Heaton was not on the bench for United’s last outing, the 3-1 Emirates FA Cup victory over Fulham at Old Trafford on 19 March.
This was due to an injury suffered at Carrington just prior to the quarter-final tie, which means that he won’t be available for several of United’s upcoming matches.
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“Yeah, unfortunately the day before the Fulham game, I rolled my ankle in training,” Tom confirmed to club media on Thursday.
“Thankfully, it’s not too bad but it’ll mean a couple of weeks out, I think. I should be back some point in April somewhere, hopefully halfway through.
“It’s an occupational hazard unfortunately, a bit of a random one but, yeah, I just went over on the ankle and nicked the ligament.
“I’m in this [protective boot] for another few days then hope to get it back moving again.”
Jack Butland, who arrived at the club on loan from Crystal Palace in January, provided back-up for no.1 David De Gea during our win over the Cottagers.
De Gea has played the full 90 minutes in 42 of our 46 first-team fixtures this season, with Martin Dubravka – now back at parent club Newcastle United, our next opponents – keeping goal in the Carabao Cup wins over Aston Villa and Burnley.