Man Utd launch INVESTIGATION into injury crisis after double blow – with star hurt in training days after return

ERIK TEN HAG has confirmed Manchester United have launched an internal investigation into their ongoing injury crisis.

That is after Lisandro Martinez and Victor Lindelof became the latest casualties amid a turbulent campaign that has seen Ten Hag often unable to field a strong line-up.

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag confirmed there is an internal investigation into their injury crisisReuters

Lisandro Martinez returned to Man Utd’s injury listGetty

Victor Lindelof got injured during Man Utd’s clash with BrentfordAlamy

Lindelof suffered a hamstring injury during Saturday’s Premier League clash at Brentford.

That was where the Sweden international was replaced by Martinez, who made his first appearance since February as he overcame a knee injury.

However, the Argentina international just returned to the sidelines after sustaining a calf strain during training.

Lindelof and Martinez have joined fellow defenders Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia in the physio room and are expected to be out for at least a month.

According to The Mail, Ten Hag claims he and his coaching staff “have an idea” as to what led to such an injury-stricken campaign as the whole matter is being dealt “internally”.

When asked about United‘s injury crisis, the Dutchman said: “We have an idea but we will work on that internally and deal with it.”

Lindelof and Martinez will miss Thursday’s Premier League clash against Chelsea as well as Sunday’s match against Liverpool.

Fixtures against Bournemouth, Sheffield United and Burnley as well as a the FA Cup semi-final against Coventry will also come to soon for them.

Ten Hag added: “You can’t prevent it, it’s not only us who’ve had this.

“The standards of the Premier League from an intensity perspective are so high, the overload of the schedule, international football is so huge, and we have internationals in our squad.

“Man City, Liverpool and Newcastle have problems, many other teams.

“We don’t train because we recover then you go up to the next game.”

BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKER

Ten Hag, though, will have Harry Maguire, Jonny Evans and Raphael Varane available at Chelsea.

However, the 54-year-old tactician is unlikely to start Mason Mount on his Stamford Bridge return.

That is despite Mount’s heroic comeback from a four-month injury lay off which led to his first ever goal for United against Brentford.

Ten Hag said: “He’s a fantastic football player but it’s important first that he is getting and keeping fit because he has had three injuries.

“You see it now with Licha [Martinez], another injury. So you want to avoid and we have to do this carefully.

“This is the first objective: To keep him fit. We want to use him [so] that he can benefit and contribute to the team like he did on Saturday when he had a big impact.”

Man Utd vs Chelsea – so what? They’re sinking towards irrelevance, says Dave Kidd

By Dave Kidd

MANCHESTER UNITED and Chelsea were the two dominant forces in English football when Sir Alex Ferguson and Roman Abramovich were in their pomp.

But when they meet at Stamford Bridge on Thursday night it will be a ‘so what?’ match between dysfunctional clubs lurching in and out of crisis.

On Saturday, Erik ten Hag’s United failed to build on an FA Cup win over Liverpool and were poor in the 1-1 draw at Brentford.

And Mauricio Pochettino put out a Blues side that failed to beat ten-man Burnley at home.

Will either be in a job next season? And will it make much difference?

United have only won a League Cup in seven years and Chelsea’s last domestic honour was the 2018 FA Cup.

Both clubs are sinking towards irrelevance.