Manchester United have been dealt an injury blow ahead of their Premier League clash with Chelsea on Sunday, 3 November.
Ruud van Nistelrooy, 48, is expected to take charge of the side, having seen the team put Leicester to the sword in the 5-2 Carabao Cup victory at Old Trafford on Wednesday evening.
Van Nistelrooy stepped up to the interim manager role on Monday after Erik ten Hag parted company with the club – the United legend was Ten Hag’s assistant, having joined the club in July 2024.
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The Dutchman explained how he spoke to former United boss Sir Alex Ferguson ahead of the midweek game, and he may lean on his ex-manager’s expertise once again.
Against the Foxes, he opted for a 4-2-3-1 formation with the centre-midfield pairing of Manuel Ugarte and Casemiro with Bruno Fernandes ahead of the South Americans in the ‘ten’ role.
However, it is another midfielder that faces a spell on the sidelines.
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Toby Collyer, 20, made his Premier League debut in the 3-0 loss to Liverpool at Old Trafford in September but is set to miss at least one month, according to the MEN.
Before the 2-1 win over Brentford on October 19, Ten Hag confirmed the player was injured but did not elaborate with any further detail.
The midfielder recently discussed his progression to the first-team set-up, revealing how it was something he’d “always wanted to do”.
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"It's been great, I made the transition into the first-team environment, which is what I've always wanted to do,” he told Manchester United.com.
“I’m focusing on working hard and trying to kick on and get into the squad.
"I remember being really thrilled and excited, buzzing [when training with the first team for the first time]. I kept thinking after the first few sessions, I need to stay here, this is what I need to do."
The last couple of months have been littered with achievements for the youngster.
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Before making his league debut against Liverpool, he had made his first senior appearance in the FA Community Shield loss against Manchester City at Wembley – becoming United's 251st academy graduate.
Collyer was also called up to the England Under-20s squad for their matches against the Czech Republic and Italy in October.
Topics: Manchester United, Ruud Van Nistelrooy, Erik Ten Hag, Sir Alex Ferguson, Premier League
Luke Alfred Davies