Erik ten Hag provides triple injury boost for Man Utd, but concerns grow over Luke Shaw's fitness

United secured a convincing 3-0 victory against Southampton on Saturday, showcasing their best performance of the season. Ten Hag will lead his team to face Barnsley on Tuesday night in their first Carabao Cup match, a tournament he previously won during his debut season at Old Trafford.

Martinez and Mazraoui were forced off in the 77th and 74th minute respectively at St Mary’s with de Ligt following late on – with the centre-half later suggesting the problem was merely a cramp.

United were blighted by injuries to their backline last season with summer signing Leny Yoro sidelined until November after suffering a broken metatarsal in July.

While ten Hag suggested he will still look to rotate his squad tomorrow night at Oakwell, that defensive trio are all fit and available despite the weekend scare.

‘They are all available,’ ten Hag told a press conference on Monday. ‘They are good.

‘I hope I have headaches because, last year, I also had headaches, but there were no players available.

‘So, I hope I have many players available and we can make a selection from game to game. Definitely, we have to rotate because we have to cover so many games and so it’s not only about a starting XI.’

Rasmus Hojlund is still to feature this season as he recovers from a hamstring injury with Shaw also still unavailable.

The left-back has not played for his club since February and despite both players being slated to return after September’s international break, they did not make the squad on Saturday against Southampton.

Hojlund remains unavailable, alongside Mason Mount and Tyrell Malacia, with ten Hag admitting there is no definitive return date set for Shaw.

‘First, Luke Shaw, he’s progressing but not ready yet to be selected,’ ten Hag said.

‘Of course, we have a plan in our head when he can be ready but you are always dependent on how the progress will go. You can’t think, you can’t make a suggestion [of a return date] because there are so many factors why a plan can accelerate or slow down.’