Manchester United continue to ride their luck with their top-four chances following more dropped points against Leicester last weekend and now face a must-win game away to relegation battlers Everton on Saturday.
Ralf Rangnick lost two players due to illness ahead of the draw with the Foxes, while a further two have been ruled out with injury, as the squad is beginning to have setbacks at the wrong end of the season.
Here is all you need to know about the current state of play at Old Trafford and the expected return dates for those currently on the sidelines.
Cristiano Ronal do
Cristiano Ronaldo was a surprise omission from the matchday squad last weekend before it was revealed that he was missing out through illness, especially since he featured for Portugal in the international break just four days before.
Nonetheless, the 37-year-old was ruled out of the stalemate with Leicester with flu-like symptoms, although it hasn’t been confirmed as Covid-19, it is hoped that he will be fit enough to return to the squad for Saturday’s trip to Everton.
Following Saturday’s game, Rangnick said: “Unfortunately, he had some 'flu-like symptoms’, which he showed yesterday. The doctor went to see him this AM but he didn't feel any better. That's why he hasn't been able to play."
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Jesse Lingard
Man Utd midfielder Jesse Lingard has also been struggling with illness and was revealed to have been vomiting prior to kick-off on Saturday, despite having already been named in the matchday squad. Lingard was then unable to feature off the bench as a result of his sickness.
However, like Ronaldo, it is hoped that he can overcome the worst of his illness and return to that matchday squad for this weekend’s clash at Goodison Park. Lingard may have caught some kind of stomach bug due to his vomiting, which could put him at risk of making a full recovery in time.
Following Saturday’s draw with Leicester, Rangnick said: "Jesse couldn't come on because he was sick. He was vomiting before the game. We had all the offensive players we had available on the pitch at the end."
Luke Shaw
Left-back Luke Shaw has had yet another setback this season after suffering from a recurring injury problem during the 1-1 draw with Leicester last weekend, having started the game before being forced off at half-time.
It was revealed that the 26-year-old had already begun to suffer from the recurring problems whilst away with the England squad in the recent international break before they came up again in Saturday’s game, and he now looks as though he will be a doubt for this weekend.
After the Leicester game, Rangnick said: “He had some problems last week, when he was with the England team, with his old injury when he had an operation on a broken leg. This showed up again today."
Edinson Cavani
Veteran striker Edinson Cavani received another injury setback this season when he was withdrawn from Uruguay’s South American World Cup qualifier against Chile during the recent international break, with the 35-year-old lasting just 29 minutes of the contest after struggling with a calf problem.
Cavani had only just recently returned from a thigh issue but now looks set for a further spell on the sidelines, which could be up to and even more than a month depending on his recovery, but he will definitely miss this weekend’s trip to Everton.
Speaking on April 1, Rangnick said: “According to the doctor, he will be out for a couple of weeks, four weeks, maybe even five weeks. So we have to wait and see. That’s obviously bad news."
