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Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag is not expecting Luke Shaw to make a return to action before the next international break.<\/p>\n
Left-back Shaw has not played since the 2-0 loss at Tottenham on August 19, United\u2019s second fixture of the season, due to a muscle injury \u2013 sitting out nine club games as well as four England matches.<\/p>\n
Ten Hag\u2019s men are set to play seven times between now and England\u2019s next game, against Malta on November 17.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Ten Hag said: \u201cOf course they are closer. (But) for Luke Shaw, I don\u2019t expect him back in this block of games. Aaron Wan-Bissaka, I don\u2019t think he\u2019s too far away from returning to team training and so back in the team.\u201d<\/p>\n
United travel to Bramall Lane to face Sheffield United on Saturday night without Casemiro, who emerged from Brazil\u2019s World Cup qualifiers against Venezuela last Friday and Uruguay five days later with an injury.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the first game he came off but then he played the second game, it was an important one,\u201d Ten Hag said of the midfielder, who is suspended for next Tuesday\u2019s Champions League clash with FC Copenhagen.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sure that game didn\u2019t help him, but it\u2019s a small injury, he\u2019ll return (from Brazil) next week, it will be healed and then he\u2019s ready for our next (league) game (against Manchester City), I\u2019m sure.\u201d<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Ten Hag \u2013 whose side have lost six times in all competitions this term and are 10th in the Premier League \u2013 has stressed of injuries that he will \u201cnever use it as an excuse\u201d but believes it has not helped new goalkeeper Andre Onana settle after a number of mistakes since his summer arrival from Inter Milan.<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course when every time you have a different defending line in front of you it is not helpful\u2026 but you have to deal with it,\u201d Ten Hag added.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut it didn\u2019t help for the results and it didn\u2019t help his integration, absolutely.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ten Hag has said defender Victor Lindelof is \u201cready\u201d to play against Sheffield United after his distressing experience earlier in the week.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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 \u201cpending resolution of a squad discipline issue\u201d.<\/p>\n
England\u2019s 3-1 win over Italy on Tuesday saw Marcus Rashford score a fine goal \u2013 having netted only once previously this season \u2013 and Harry Maguire play the full duration in defence.<\/p>\n
Ten Hag said: \u201cI enjoyed the (performances from the) players involved from us \u2013 you saw the qualities. The form the last games was maybe not that good, but I\u2019m sure I will back them, I trust them, I believe in them and I\u2019m sure they\u2019ll be back in very good shape.\u201d<\/p>\n
United head into Saturday\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
Ten Hag said he had not spoken to co-chairman Joel Glazer.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn this moment I\u2019m not involved so I don\u2019t know. What I know are the agreements I made once I signed this contract,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cUntil 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.\u201d<\/p>\n