Erik ten HagManchester UnitedPremier LeagueMason MountMarcus RashfordScott McTominayLuke ShawLisandro Martinez

Erik ten Hag shared positive updates on Bruno Fernandes, Scott McTominay and Marcus Rashford’s fitness but revealed another Mason Mount blow.

• Man Utd in injury crisis
• Mount & Shaw’s return delayed
• Fernandes, McTominay & Rashford could make a comeback

WHAT HAPPENED?

Mount was named in a Premier League starting XI against Crystal Palace for the first time in seven months but the midfielder is likely to play no further part in the campaign as he has suffered a third injury. Luke Shaw will join Mount in the treatment room after suffering another “setback in his process” which will delay his return.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

The injury list does not end there. Raphael Varane and Victor Lindelof remain sidelined while Lisandro Martinez needs more time to get match-fit despite starting to train with the ball earlier this week.

WHAT TEN HAG SAID

“I hope I have players, yeah,” Ten Hag joked ahead of facing Arsenal.

“Players trained this morning. Bruno was on the pitch and Scott McTominay was back on the pitch. Some players are returning but also I have to report unfortunately yesterday Mason Mount fell out, so he will not be available for Sunday.

“We have some doubts [for players to play again this season]. Players are fighting to be available. That is so amazing. They all try. They are all desperate to play.

“Yesterday, Licha came to me and wanted to play on Sunday against Arsenal but he’s not ready yet, he needs a little bit more time to go through the process, but he is so desperate. There are more: Rapha Varane, Victor Lindelof. Luke Shaw had a setback in his process as well but there is still hope and he will fight to be available for the final.

“(Martinez) is desperate to play, he misses so much, the team missed him. He wants to play but he had three injuries across the season and now he is almost there, injury-free, at the end of the healing process but now he has to get back into team training and into matches. Rashford trained this morning as well. We have to see how he recovered from this but it looks quite good. Hopefully, he makes the training tomorrow and then see if he’s available for Sunday.”

Ten Hag insisted that he would not risk the health of his players for short-term gains and is willing to fight with the limited resources at his disposal.

“I will never gamble with a player, never. It’s about them, it’s about their futures,” he said. “That’s most important about their careers and I have to take responsibility for it. The club is the most important but the safety, the health of the player is high level. I don’t take big risks with players now to win on Sunday with the risk they drop out again. But I think it’s not so different in a normal situation if you didn’t have a cup final.”

WHAT NEXT?

United have three crucial games left in the Premier League starting with a blockbuster fixture against title contenders Arsenal at Old Trafford. They will then host Newcastle United on Wednesday and finish the league campaign away to Brighton.