The Community Shield showdown between Manchester United and Manchester City is approaching, and Red Devils manager, Erik ten Hag, remains cautious about risking his players in the upcoming match.
Ten Hag has been facing challenges in the preseason friendlies with some of his key players unavailable for selection.
Notable absentees include Bruno Fernandes, Lisandro Martínez, and Alejandro Garnacho, while Leny Yoro and Rasmus Højlund are nursing injuries as the new season kicks off.
Concerns also loom over the availability of Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw, Victor Lindelöf, and Aaron Wan-Bissaka as they might miss out on facing City.
During a press briefing, ten Hag emphasized, “The upcoming match is significant, but player safety comes first, considering our previous season’s experiences with injuries affecting our performance due to missing key squad members.”
“While we aim for victory and have previously shown the ability to overcome City, we are mindful of the need to keep our players fit to maintain consistency and achieve favorable outcomes,” he added.