Ruben Amorim faces a big challenge on his Manchester United debut as Victor Lindelof becomes the latest player to be forced off with an injury during international duty, further exacerbating the Red Devils’ defensive shortfall.

Manchester United continued to receive bad news when centre-back Victor Lindelof was forced off in the 26th minute of Sweden’s UEFA Nations League clash with Slovakia. This is a significant loss for new coach Ruben Amorim – who has been facing a serious personnel crisis since his first days in charge.

It is worth noting that Lindelof has just returned from a toe injury that kept him out of the first seven games of the season.

Lindelof’s injury further exacerbates the Red Devils’ defensive shortfall. Currently, the team is missing many important pillars such as Luke Shaw, Leny Yoro, Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez. Martinez’s fitness issues ahead of the international break have significantly limited Amorim’s defensive options.

Amorim and Lindelof have a special relationship, having been teammates for a short time at Benfica. However, this may no longer be the case as the 30-year-old is facing a long-term absence.

Although the severity of the injury is yet to be determined, Lindelof is unlikely to feature against Azerbaijan on Tuesday.

Considering Lindelof’s injury history at United, the Swedish center-back has missed 48 games overall for the team and the nation since joining in 2017.

He missed several weeks of play last season due to hamstring and groin issues. He has only made seven appearances so far in the 2024–25 season due to a toe injury, primarily in the Europa League and EFL Cup.

With only six months left on his deal, Lindelof’s future at Old Trafford is also in question. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, an advisor to AC Milan, has hinted at a potential move to San Siro, but the center-back has maintained that he is focused on the here and now at Manchester United.