France international Anthony Martial will miss Manchester United’s opening game of the 2022/2023 season against Brighton & Hove Albion this weekend, because of a minor hamstring injury.
The 26 year-old played for 69 minutes against Spanish side Atletico Madrid in Oslo, Norway and was replaced by Christian Eriksen in the second half but he left the pitch holding his leg.
It remains unclear whether Martial will be fit in time to face Brentford when the Red Devils visit the Gtech Community Stadium on 13th August.
Martial has looked sharp during United’s pre-season friendlies, scoring in the opening three games against Liverpool, Melbourne Victory and Crystal Palace on the Red Devils Tour of Asia and Australia.
The France international also featured for the Old Trafford outfit in the 2-2 draw against Aston Villa. The game against Atletico Madrid was the only one in which Martial looked slightly off the pace.
The latest development puts manager Erik Ten Hag’s plans for the opening game of the Premier League campaign up in the air. Cristiano Ronaldo has missed a big chunk of the training sessions under the Dutch tactician.
The Portuguese featured for the first time against Rayo Vallecano in the club’s final friendly of the pre-season. But it was evident that the 37-year-old is way off from his best and he lacked match fitness.
It remains to be seen what the frontline for Manchester United could look like against Brighton. Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho have got back some confidence during the pre-season fixtures, but the ultimate decision rests with Erik ten Hag as he hopes to begin his time at the helm with a win against the Seagulls.
Apex Football News 