Manchester United have been dealt a double injury blow ahead of the upcoming Premier League season as striker Rasmus Højlund and new signing Leny Yoro are set to miss the start of the campaign, with the latter expected to be out for significantly longer.
The Red Devils had an injury-littered 2023/24 across various parts of the pitch but particularly in their defensive ranks, so recently signed defender Yoro finding himself already sidelined will come as tiresome news to United fans.
Worse still, with Raphaël Varane and Willy Kambawala both having left the club this summer, Erik ten Hag has even fewer central defenders at his disposal and will likely have to call on the likes of Jonny Evans again to fill in for more games than initially planned.
Yoro, 18, came off against Arsenal in Man United’s opening game of the pre-season tour in the US last week with a foot injury and it has now been revealed he will be out for up to three months.
Leny Yoro will be out for up to three months while Rasmus Hojlund is expected to be out for six weeks following injuries against Arsenal in pre-season for Man United 🔴🚨 pic.twitter.com/oKVn2hoLpn
Having suffered a similarly big setback with Lisandro Martinez also suffering a long-term injury last season, it does feel a bit like déjà vu.
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As for 21-year-old Højlund, who has now claimed the number nine shirt after a decent debut season with the club, he was also hooked off just minutes into the game against the Gunners.
While it was evident that the Danish striker had pulled up on his hamstring, it was unclear as to how serious the injury was, but indications now show that he is due to be out for approximately six weeks – another significant setback for the 23/24 FA Cup winners whose league finish was their worst ever.
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Although losing their main striker before the season has already begun is far from ideal, United do at least have a healthier selection of attacking players including new forward Joshua Zirkzee and the return of Jadon Sancho, whose beef with the manager appears to have been put to bed.
Sancho looks to be in the Dutchman’s plans once again after rediscovering some form back on loan at Borussia Dortmund and looking bright in pre-season thus far, nearly scoring in their 3-2 victory over La Liga side Real Betis in the early hours on Thursday morning before it was ruled out for offside.
It was the Reds’ first win of the US tour and Amad Diallo is also looking like he might break into the first-team as a more regular starter and help lighten the load in Højlund’s absence, netting a second impressive strike against the Spanish club after also bagging in a recent friendly against Rangers.
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Nevertheless, the news of Højlund’s hamstring problems and Yoro’s fractured metatarsal is the last thing they and the fans will want to hear just over a fortnight away from the new season getting underway.
It remains to be seen whether Man United will do any more business in the transfer window, especially now the double injury blow they are without two presumably key players in ten Hag’s first-choice squad.
They were linked with a new midfield signing last month and have reportedly even ‘agreed terms’ but there have been very few updates on whether the deal has progressed any further.
Pep Guardiola says he won’t manage another club after Manchester City
Danny Jones
Pep Guardiola has claimed he won’t manage another team after his tenure at Manchester City is up, so enjoy the ride whilst you can, Blues.
One of the most successful managers in history, Pep Guardiola is undoubtedly one of the greatest managers to have ever lived but it looks like the 53-year-old is now starting to think about life after football – or at least after Man City.
Guardiola recently extended his stay at the Eithad with a new two-year contract but it did look like he was ramping up to leave until the 11th hour and it now seems as though his time at City will be his last in the world of club football.
Pep Guardiola claims that he won't manage another club after Manchester City…
When asked about his future by his fellow compatriot, Pep said: “I’m going to stop. I am not going to join another team, I’m not going to leave to go to another country. I won’t have the energy. For now, I’m still here but to think about starting again, the whole process of training – no, no.”
Energy has been a defining factor for so many managers of late, with long-time rival Jürgen Klopp having departed Liverpool FC as a result of the fatigue caused by the job.
With countless cups, six Premier League titles and a trio of Champions League trophies to his name, Pep has pretty much won everything there is to win, which will no doubt factor into his eventual decision.
That being said, Pep did go on to suggest that however long he stays in the sport after his time in Manchester is all said and done, his next role would likely be in international football as leading a country to major silverware is the one thing he hasn’t achieved just yet.
City have managed to get points back on the board in their last two games, notching a much-needed 3-0 against Nottingham Forest before only managing to scrape a draw against Crystal Palace this past weekend, but with a derby approaching this Sunday, all eyes are on Manchester.
With the title race already looking like a nigh on an insurmountable task given the points they’ve already drooped (even with Liverpool’s recent slip-up), Pep’s stress and energy are already pushed to their limits as it is.
You might only get a couple more years with the tactical genius, City fans, so make the most of it.
You can watch Pep Guardiola’s full interview with Dani García down below – though it is in Spanish so you will need subtitles on:
Manchester City’s alleged charges have been increased to 130
Danny Jones
Manchester City’s hearing over their 115 alleged breaches of FFP (financial fair play) has ended and the outcome is that their charges have now been increased to 130.
Not exactly what Blues will want to hear.
The hearing officially concluded last Friday, 6 December after a 12-week process to determine whether they broke Premier League regulations regarding PSR (profit and sustainability), with accusations initially spanning a nine-year period.
However, rather than making any progress when it comes to clearing their record, it looks as though the opposite has happened.
Man City are now alleged to have committed 130 breaches of Premier League rules with both parties still able to enter an official appeal.
The hearing was held at the International Dispute Resolution Centre near St Paul’s in London, kicking off in September before coming to a close on Friday, 6 December.
Fans will no doubt have been hoping for and maybe even expecting a much more positive update, especially after having been successful in their recent case against the division regarding sponsorship deals and Associated Party Transactions (APT).
As well as the number of alleged breaches having risen to 130, the period of offence is also now said to have been extended, jumping from just under a decade to a total of 14 years.
The Times writer Martyn Ziegler says the club could quietly learn of their fate as soon as next month and even though a final decision still isn’t expected until spring 2025, should either side appeal the final outcome, this will likely draw out proceedings for several more months.
Man City’s charges have gone from 115 to 130. (Credit: The Manc Group)
For context, City still deny all of the claims laid against them, which include failing to provide accurate financial information for as many as nine seasons, full details of players’ wages, hiding the true figure former manager Roberto Mancini was paid for her service, as well as failing to cooperate with the Premier League’s investigation and UEFA’s FFP rules.
The club were slapped with a two-year European ban back in 2020 and have been fined by the European footballing body previously, but that ban was ultimately dropped and even their most recent financial punishment was dropped from £30 million to just £10m – chump change given their spending power.
It still remains unclear what exactly will happen to the reigning English champions if they are found guilty but with Pep Guardiola’s also struggling for form of late, having lost five games in a row for the first time in the Catalan’s career, those inside the Etihad could do with some good news.
The blue moon that has loomed over Manchester in recent years is looking a little lost behind the clouds at the minute.
Danny Jones -
1st August 2024 
