Manchester United defenders Raphael Varane and Jonny Evans have reportedly been passed fit to face Chelsea tonight (Thursday). Erik ten Hag is down to the bare bones at the back after recent injury setbacks for Lisandro Martinez and Victor Lindelof.
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Varane came off in Sunday's draw with Brentford, and Evans has not played competitively since March 9. Both players were subject to late fitness tests ahead of the trip to west London on Thursday evening.
Ten Hag would already have been without Martinez and Lindelof in central defence, with both stars ruled out for at least a month. The United boss may have been forced to call on teenage academy product Willy Kambwala if he was dealt another dose of bad news regarding Varane and Evans.
However, the Manchester Evening News claim that both players have been passed fit and will be in the squad to face Chelsea. Amad Diallo is also set to return after serving a one-match suspension against the Bees.
The news will come as a major boost to Ten Hag, who has operated with widespread defensive injury issues virtually all season. Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia are still absent, leaving the Red Devils with no senior options at left-back.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Diogo Dalot have each, at times, been forced to operate on their weaker side as a result, with only one right-back slot needing to be filled. That is set to continue against a Chelsea side desperate for three points after Saturday's dismal draw with 10-man Burnley.
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"You can't prevent [injuries] and you also see it is not only us," Ten Hag admitted in his press conference this week. "The standards that the Premier League, in terms of intensity, [demand] are so high and the overload into the schedule, also with international football, is so huge.
"We have all internationals in our squad and you see it is not only us. [Manchester] City has problems, Liverpool has problems, Newcastle has problems, there are many other teams."
Ten Hag gives Man Utd team news update ahead of Chelsea clash
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United have a game in hand and nine points to make up on fifth-place Tottenham in the hunt for a Champions League place. But Ten Hag has struggled to mastermind a consistent run of good form, with no team higher than Crystal Palace in 14th notching fewer than their dreary haul of 40 Premier League goals.
Ten Hag continued: "I have been in football long enough to know, and what some of you should also understand, is that such things happen. Sometimes, you are not playing good but we are Man United and you still have to win."
