Raphael Varane, Victor Lindelof and Anthony Martial are all training with Manchester United ahead of the team’s final match of the 2023-24 Premier League season against Brighton & Hove Albion.
The Red Devils will face the Seagulls on Sunday afternoon, looking to claim seventh spot in the Premier League table, which would see them secure European football for next season.
However, if Erik ten Hag’s side are confirmed in eighth place, they will have another chance to qualify for Europe through the FA Cup, with Manchester City their opponents in the final next weekend.
A victory over Pep Guardiola’s side at Wembley Stadium would see Man United secure a position in the group stage of the 2024-25 Europa League.
Man United’s injury situation is finally easing, with Willy Kambwala back to fitness, while Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford and Lisandro Martinez all made their returns in Wednesday’s 3-2 win over Newcastle United.
Varane, Lindelof, Martial return to training
Man United have now released images from training showing Varane, Lindelof and Martial in action, with all three potentially being in the squad against Brighton this weekend.
A muscular problem has kept Varane out since the start of April, but he is expected to be involved in Man United’s final two games of the season before leaving on a free transfer.
Lindelof, meanwhile, is back to fitness after recovering from a hamstring issue, with the Sweden international missing since the end of March.
Martial, who is also set to leave on a free transfer next month, has not featured since December, with the forward undergoing a groin operation at the start of the year.
The fourth player noticed in training is 19-year-old Dan Gore who has returned from his loan at Port Vale and stepped immediately back into training in a bid to impress Ten Hag.
Gore would be ineligible for Sunday’s game due to his loan but will be keen to remind the manager who he is in the hopes of getting preseason to feature and force himself into the plans.
Mason Mount remains a doubt for the game at Brighton due to an unspecified issue, while Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia will miss out once again.
Martinez, Rashford, Fernandes also set to play against Brighton
Ten Hag also strongly suggested that Martinez, Rashford and Fernandes would again be involved this weekend after recovering from injury issues.
“Bruno didn’t miss so much and he’s fit,” Ten Hag told Man United’s official media.
“I would say that is one of my least concerns, if he can keep going.
“He’s fresh and he’s in very good form but the others you mentioned, it’s important [to get game time]. They missed some games. Rashford, since Coventry, but, of course, Licha Martinez missed, I would say, almost the whole season. So every minute that he can get, we have to give him.”
Maguire is set to be back for the FA Cup final, but Shaw is a major doubt for the clash with Man City, while the left-back also seemingly faces a battle to be available to represent England at Euro 2024.
