“It is bad…”: Reliable journalist drops injury bombshell, United superstar unlikely to play again this season

Manchester United’s aspirations of qualifying for the Champions League could suffer a body blow if a trusted journalist is to be believed. The Red Devils’ injury list keeps growing by the minute, with the team’s defence being the worst affected. Matthijs de Ligt, Lisandro Martinez, and Patrick Dorgu are all sidelined, while Noussair Mazraoui has rejoined training after an injury scare following the Newcastle debacle. The Argentine was initially expected to miss only one game, but is set to miss his fourth match in a row this weekend. Matthijs de Ligt injury: lack of transparency The most curious case is that of the Dutchman. Former head coach Ruben Amorim had initially claimed that the Netherlands international would be back after a week. “For Matta, it is a small thing. I expect to have Matthijs next game [at Molineux],” were the Portuguese tactician’s exact words. It has been over three months now, and even Michael Carrick has not spoken clearly about the problem ailing the former Bayern Munich ace. Matthijs de Ligt is reportedly suffering from a back injury, but during almost every press conference, the message that comes from the head coach is that the 26-year-old will be back soon and that the club are taking their time and not rushing him back to avoid future complications. Out for the season However, The Daily Mail‘s Nathan Salt has claimed that the injury is severe, and in all likelihood, every sign points towards Matthijs de Ligt not returning before the end of the season. Only nine Premier League games remain this season, and it would not be a surprise if the ex-Ajax captain does not make any further appearances this campaign. “He’s clearly got the back problem and it is bad. I don’t think he’ll play again this season.” It is clearly the journalist’s opinion, but it seems to be an informed one. United’s handling of the injury has been very strange, with the lack of transparency a real concern. Add to this Martinez’s own injury problems, and it is clear that INEOS need to strengthen at the back in the summer, with Murillo of Nottingham Forest and Tottenham Hotspur skipper Cristian Romero among the options being looked at by United. Feature image Michael Regan via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Ayantan Chowdhury After failing to become a professional footballer, Ayantan switched to the next best thing: writing about the greatest football club in the world. He has extensive sports journalism experience, having worked for over 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25