By Lori Ewing
MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) – Manchester United’s Casemiro, Lisandro Martinez and Luke Shaw have returned to training and could be available for Sunday’s Premier League match against Tottenham Hotspur, manager Erik ten Hag said on Friday.
United have been plagued by injuries this season and are languishing eighth in the table, nine points adrift of fourth-placed Arsenal. They ended last year with a 2-1 loss at Nottingham Forest which kept the pressure firmly on the Dutch manager.
“It is positive they are back on the training ground and they will go back to the team and then to 100% match fitness,” Ten Hag told reporters.
“We have more choice in this moment in the squad to put out a starting 11 and create a bench that is stronger.
“(Christian) Eriksen will return, Antony will return, Amad Diallo will return.”
French forward Anthony Martial, who has been sidelined for more than a month with an undisclosed illness, is still not available.
“We want the players to be fit and in this moment he is not,” Ten Hag said. “We have to make him fit, it’s his job as well.”
The manager said little on Jadon Sancho when asked about the forward’s move back to Borussia Dortmund on loan. Sancho made only three appearances this season after a public fall-out with his manager.
“I hope he is doing well, I wish him the best of luck,” Ten Hag said.
British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe, who struck a deal to take a minority stake at Manchester United last month, is expected to attend Sunday’s game at Old Trafford against Spurs who are fifth in the standings on 39 points, six behind leaders Liverpool.
(Reporting by Lori Ewing, editing by Ed Osmond)
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