Solskjaer Calms De Gea Injury Concerns

 

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has calmed injury concerns surrounding David de Gea, with Manchester United confident that the groin problem suffered by the Spaniard will not keep him out for long.

It was initially feared that a knock suffered while on international duty would force the 28-year-old onto the sidelines for a prolonged period of time.

Solskjaer concedes that he was bracing himself to be without his first-choice shot-stopper until after the next break in domestic action.

He is, however, confident that De Gea will come back into contention before the players head away again with their respective nations in November.

Pressed for an update on the fitness of a key man heading into a crunch Premier League clash with old adversaries Liverpool on Sunday, Solskjaer told reporters: “Don’t expect him to play but it wasn’t as bad as feared.

“When I saw the game I thought that’s him out until next international break, but it’s not as bad as feared.”

While De Gea could return sooner than anticipated, United are still going to be without him for the foreseeable future.

That is also the case when it comes to World Cup-winning midfielder Paul Pogba, with the Frenchman nursing a niggling ankle complaint.

He has been working away from Old Trafford, and bumping into Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane amid ongoing transfer talk, and it remains to be seen when he will be called upon again.

Injury issues have been a problem for United throughout the current campaign, with Anthony Martial another seasoned performer that the Red Devils have been without for long periods.

Solskjaer concedes that selection posers have done his cause few favours, with his team still looking for a spark in 2019-20.

The Norwegian added: “Of course when you lose the majority of the front creativity that we started with you’re going to struggle to create as many chances as you like, you can’t carve that opening.

“The pressing up high has been very good, attitude, desire, has been very good but not enough chances created, and not taken.

“Sometimes that’s confidence, human nature, you see players missing chances they won’t normally miss, but it’s up to us to get the ball between the posts, that goal never moves.”