Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag is not expecting Luke Shaw to make a return to action before the next international break.
Left-back Shaw has not played since the 2-0 loss at Tottenham on August 19, United’s second fixture of the season, due to a muscle injury – sitting out nine club games as well as four England matches.
Ten Hag’s men are set to play seven times between now and England’s next game, against Malta on November 17.
United have been blighted by injuries in defence, with right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka another who has been sidelined since sustaining an injury against Brighton on September 18.
Ten Hag said: “Of course they are closer. (But) for Luke Shaw, I don’t expect him back in this block of games. Aaron Wan-Bissaka, I don’t think he’s too far away from returning to team training and so back in the team.”
United travel to Bramall Lane to face Sheffield United on Saturday night without Casemiro, who emerged from Brazil’s World Cup qualifiers against Venezuela last Friday and Uruguay five days later with an injury.
“In the first game he came off but then he played the second game, it was an important one,” Ten Hag said of the midfielder, who is suspended for next Tuesday’s Champions League clash with FC Copenhagen.
“I’m sure that game didn’t help him, but it’s a small injury, he’ll return (from Brazil) next week, it will be healed and then he’s ready for our next (league) game (against Manchester City), I’m sure.”
United do have defensive pair Raphael Varane and Sergio Reguilon available again after injury lay-offs, while Tyrell Malacia and Lisandro Martinez are other defenders still sidelined alongside Shaw and Wan-Bissaka.
Ten Hag – whose side have lost six times in all competitions this term and are 10th in the Premier League – has stressed of injuries that he will “never use it as an excuse” but believes it has not helped new goalkeeper Andre Onana settle after a number of mistakes since his summer arrival from Inter Milan.
“Of course when every time you have a different defending line in front of you it is not helpful… but you have to deal with it,” Ten Hag added.
“But it didn’t help for the results and it didn’t help his integration, absolutely.”
Ten Hag has said defender Victor Lindelof is “ready” to play against Sheffield United after his distressing experience earlier in the week.
Lindelof captained the Sweden side whose Euro 2024 qualifier against Belgium in Brussels on Monday was abandoned after two Swedish fans were shot dead and another injured three miles from the stadium.
Ten Hag also indicated there has been no change in terms of Jadon Sancho, who has been training away from the first team, with the club having said that is “pending resolution of a squad discipline issue”.
England’s 3-1 win over Italy on Tuesday saw Marcus Rashford score a fine goal – having netted only once previously this season – and Harry Maguire play the full duration in defence.
Ten Hag said: “I enjoyed the (performances from the) players involved from us – you saw the qualities. The form the last games was maybe not that good, but I’m sure I will back them, I trust them, I believe in them and I’m sure they’ll be back in very good shape.”
United head into Saturday’s match amid considerable talk about their ownership situation, with Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim last weekend understood to have ended his attempt to buy the club, while INEOS founder Sir Jim Ratcliffe is reportedly looking to purchase a 25 per cent stake that could see him take over football operations.
Ten Hag said he had not spoken to co-chairman Joel Glazer.
“In this moment I’m not involved so I don’t know. What I know are the agreements I made once I signed this contract,” he said.
“Until I hear anything I just keep focusing on my job, in this structure, and that is winning games and get the best out of the season.”
Klopp in awe of 'incredible' Emery ahead of Villa Park showdown
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has praised the "incredible job" Unai Emery has done during his time at Aston Villa ahead of Monday's contest between the sides.
Emery guided Villa into the Europa Conference League in his first campaign in charge, where they made it to the semi-final stage.
The Villans' Euro campaign was ended by Olympiacos on Thursday, but they are one win from securing a Champions League spot for next term.
Emery's men, who lost 1-0 at Brighton last time out in the league, can get themselves over the line with a game to spare when Liverpool visit Villa Park next up.
"He's done an incredible job," Klopp said. "Emery is one of the best we have in the business, 100 per cent. Wherever he was, he had success.
"Sometimes clubs were not ready to wait for it, maybe. If you look back probably these clubs would have made different decisions.
"The job he is doing is absolutely exceptional. We all know how important it is for a club to qualify for the Champions League, how difficult it is."
Liverpool enter the contest third in the Premier League, 11 points better off than Villa, with their title hopes now officially over.
While there may not be a great deal on the line for the Reds on the face of it, this will be Klopp's final away game as Liverpool manager.
The German is departing after next week's home match with Wolves, and Villa skipper John McGinn says he will be missed.
"The league has been very lucky to have Klopp," McGinn said. "He has obviously got an identity and a really strong team. He will be missed.
"I think everyone knows what we think of our own manager. We are very lucky to have him and his staff. They work endlessly to make us better."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Aston Villa - Ollie Watkins
Watkins has failed to score in back-to-back games in all competitions for Villa, with his blank against Brighton leaving him one short of the 20-goal mark in the Premier League this season.
The last Villa player to reach that mark in a top-flight campaign was Peter Withe in 1980-81.
The omens are certainly good, as only against Brighton (six) - ironically - has Watkins scored more goals in the competition than he has against Liverpool (five).
Liverpool - Mohamed Salah
Salah returned to the Liverpool starting line-up last weekend and both scored and assisted in the 4-2 win over Tottenham.
The Egyptian has now both scored and assisted in four different Premier League games this season - only Chelsea's Cole Palmer (five) has done so more often.
Across his entire Premier League career, Salah has done so 31 times in total, with that a tally only Wayne Rooney (36) and Thierry Henry (32) can better.
MATCH PREDICTION - LIVERPOOL WIN
Villa lost 1-0 to Brighton in their most recent league game, but they have not lost successive Premier League matches since May last year.
Liverpool were 4-2 winners against Tottenham last time out, meanwhile, and have lost just one of their past 26 league games played in May.
This is a fixture the Reds tend to do well in, however, as they have lost just once and won 10 times in their past 12 league games with Villa.
Indeed, Liverpool have won more Premier League away games against Villa than they have any other opponents (16).
Historically speaking, meanwhile, Liverpool have lost only one of their eight final away league games under Klopp, last doing so in 2018.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Aston Villa - 27.1%
Draw - 27.7%
Liverpool - 45.2%
Manchester United Women 4-0 Tottenham Women: Garcia double secures Red Devils' first FA Cup triumph
Manchester United Women banished last year's FA Cup demons to lift the trophy for the first time in their history after smashing Tottenham Women 4-0 at Wembley Stadium.
United suffered a 1-0 defeat to Chelsea Women in the final of this competition last term but exacted revenge after Lucia Garcia scored twice in a comfortable win on Sunday.
Ella Toone's eye-catching strike in the first half set the tone before a goal for Rachel Williams and Garcia's double added gloss to a convincing scoreline, despite Beth England hitting the crossbar for Spurs.
Marc Skinner's side dominated the opening half as Millie Turner saw a header cleared off the line by Martha Thomas, while Williams headed over.
However, there was no stopping Toone on the stroke of half-time as she exchanged passes with Lisa Naalsund before arrowing a rocketed right-footed finish into the top corner from the edge of the area.
Further punishment followed for an underwhelming Tottenham after the interval when Williams headed down from Katie Zelem's free-kick to double United's lead in the 54th minute.
Goalkeeper Becky Spencer then handed Skinner's team more joy just three minutes later, mindlessly playing straight to Garcia, who slotted into an empty net.
Garcia capped the scoring after 74 minutes, receiving an offload from Turner before curling a delightful finish past the powerless Spencer as United secured their first major trophy in club history.
Data Debrief: United ease pain of last year
United fell short last year against Chelsea but continued their impressive record against Spurs here, extending to 13 games unbeaten against Tottenham since being founded in 2018.
This defeat will remain painful for Spurs in their first FA Cup final appearance, also ending a seven-game undefeated streak since losing to rivals Arsenal at the start of March.
Ten Hag does not regret taking Man Utd job
Erik ten Hag insists he has never regretted taking the job as Manchester United manager.
United finished third, reached the FA Cup final, and ended their six-year wait for a trophy by winning the EFL Cup in Ten Hag’s first season in charge.
The Dutchman’s second season has not lived up to the first, as United sit in eighth, with a European place slipping away from them.
With a year still left on his contract, Ten Hag is under increasing pressure following a poor run of results, including a humbling 4-0 defeat at Crystal Palace on Monday.
"I don't regret being here for one second," said Ten Hag.
"This is a massive club. You don't know the challenges you have to face until you are in it. But I wanted this challenge."
Ten Hag once again highlighted their injury troubles, especially in defence, as one of their main struggles this season.
Reports emerged following the Palace defeat that the United players no longer backed their manager, but Ten Hag rejected that suggestion.
"There is great team spirit. In almost every game they fought," he added.
"Not on Monday [at Palace], that is why I was so disappointed. But in all the other games they have fought. I can't have any doubts about this."
United host Arsenal at Old Trafford on Sunday, as Mikel Arteta’s side aim to go back to the top of the Premier League table.
Despite being favourites to win the game, Arteta praised Ten Hag as a coach and said the club should give him more time.
When asked about the Dutchman’s position, Arteta said: "I can only talk about what I think about him as a coach. He's an excellent coach. I admire his teams, both Ajax and United.
"Hopefully he gets the time because we are colleagues, and we know how difficult it is in this league and what the margins are - hopefully that's the case because I think he is an excellent coach."
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