Man Utd Team News: van Gaal Confirms Quadruple Injury Blow Ahead Of Watford Clash

Premier League action returns tomorrow as Manchester United head to Vicarage Road to take on Watford in Saturday’s lunchtime kick off.

Ahead of the game, Louis van Gaal has been speaking to the media at his pre-match press conference this morning and has confirmed a quadruple injury blow to ManUtd.com.

The Dutch coach revealed that Wayne Rooney, Anthony Martial, Michael Carrick and Marouane Fellaini will all miss the trip to Watford while he also confirmed that Antonio Valencia is facing an extended spell on the sidelines.

Summer signing Martial was forced off during France’s 2-0 defeat to England on Tuesday night after suffering a foot injury and was pictured leaving Wembley on crutches.

It prompted speculation in the media that the striker was set for a spell on the sidelines but van Gaal is hopeful the 19-year-old will make a swift return to action with Wednesday’s clash with PSV Eindhoven a realistic target.

But United have a headache up front this weekend as van Gaal has also revealed that Rooney is suffering from illness and will also miss the trip to Watford while Fellaini is still sidelined through injury.

It leaves United with a real problem in attack and while James Wilson could lead the line up front, van Gaal has warned that the youngster is not yet ready to play the full ninety minutes.

The fourth key player to be ruled out is Michael Carrick with van Gaal confirming the midfielder is set for a spell on the sidelines after suffering a foot injury during the closing stages of England’s win over France.

With Antonio Valencia facing weeks out following surgery on a foot injury and Luke Shaw unlikely to play again this season after a double leg break, United will head into the Watford game without six of their first team squad.

Van Gaal told the clubs website:

“I think that everybody knows Michael Carrick and Anthony Martial are injured, but also injured is Fellaini. That’s a surprise because I thought he was recovered after the international break, but still he is injured. And that’s a big blow because Rooney is ill, so we have a big problem, I think, but okay, we shall survive.”

“It’s not so heavy as everybody has written in the media, but he [Martial] cannot play against Watford,”

“Maybe PSV for Martial but it’s not certain, and I think Rooney shall also play then because illness is not something of many days. And Valencia, of course, has been operated on before the international break already, then Shaw, so we have five injured players, and that’s a lot.”

“Wilson is okay after the international break. He can play but he cannot play a whole match because he doesn’t have the rhythm of the game.”

The loss of Rooney and Martial in particular will come as a bitter blow to United and van Gaal may be forced to try Memphis Depay as a central striker due to his lack of options up front.

United head into the game knowing victory would see then move top of the Premier League table and put the pressure on Manchester City and Arsenal ahead of their games later in the day.