Ruben Amorim is facing a midfield dilemma with Kobbie Mainoo, Manuel Ugarte and Toby Collyer all suffering injuries in training this week.
The Manchester United head coach revealed his squad had been hit by medical issues during sessions at Carrington, and the problems are centred on his engine room.
Mainoo’s injury is expected to keep him out for more than a couple of weeks, with Ugarte and Collyer also major doubts for the trip to Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
Jack Moorhouse, 19, has been drafted in for first-team training and is set to travel to London. It would be the central midfielder’s first time in a senior squad should Amorim select him. Moorhouse, a strong ball carrier, has scored three goals in seven Premier League 2 games this season for United’s Under-21s.
Mainoo and Ugarte have been mainstays of Amorim’s side since both starred in midfield in the 2-2 draw against Liverpool at Anfield, while Collyer has emerged as an important option, making two starts and four substitute appearances in recent weeks.
The loss of the trio would bring Christian Eriksen and Casemiro back into contention. The pair have played a combined 176 minutes since both starting the 2-0 home loss to Newcastle United on December 30.
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Amorim said on Friday: “(It) was a good week until two days ago, we had some problems. We don’t have players back, maybe we have one or two issues, we are waiting. We have one player who is sick, we will see on the weekend.”
The likes of Luke Shaw, Jonny Evans and Mason Mount are all working their way back to fitness after time out of the team.
Amorim was asked specifically about Chido Obi Martin, the 17-year-old who has been impressing for the club’s Under-18s side since joining from Arsenal last summer and scored a hat-trick in the FA Youth Cup on Wednesday.
“I don’t want to say names,” he said. “We have to be careful on that. We have problems this week, we called some young players to be in our training. We have some data evaluation. He is one of them.”
United came into the weekend 13th in the table having won just two of their last eight Premier League matches.
Additional reporting: Mark Critchley
(Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
