Ashley Young issues challenge to Sir Jim Ratcliffe after Erik ten Hag's Man Utd complaints
Ashley Young believes Manchester United should have the resources to cope with their injury woes.
Erik ten Hag has, once again this season, had to plug gaps in his starting XI. His side take on Crystal Palace without a number of their first-choice defenders as he seeks makeshift solutions with Casemiro filling in at centre-half at Selhurst Park.
The likes of Lisandro Martinez and Luke Shaw have barely featured this term due to injury, which has impacted on United’s season, while Harry Maguire has suffered another setback. The team will miss out on the top four and Champions League football having continually underwhelmed amid the changes at board level.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe has come in as a minority owner and begun making sweeping moves off the pitch. He is expected to aid the club’s recruitment this summer and Young, a former captain at Old Trafford, insists they should have players capable of stepping up.
He said on Sky Sports : “I think you have to factor that in. Their left-sided players they have not got in their team, you are changing personnel. Like I say, the club of this size there should be players ready to come in and take those positions. Of course, there are a lot of games that those players have been missing for.
“But that is where you have the size of the squad you have got. You are a world class club that you can have the players to come in and take those roles. But right now, the absentees that they have had, it’s been a massive loss for them.”
Ten Hag’s own future is the subject of questioning as United’s results decline in his second season. The Dutchman has often pointed to the amount of injuries as a major issues, insisting that his coaching methods have proved successful with a fully fit squad.
Lisandro Martinez of Manchester United receives medical treatment to an injury during the Premier League match between Manchester United and West Ham United at Old Trafford on February 04, 2024 in Manchester, England
Should the Dutchman remain as the club’s manager he will be part of a new era. Ten Hag has been asked previously if he thought the club’s problems this year would result in more signings than usual this summer he said: “I’m not sure. But I think the most important thing is to get players back. In many positions we created depth and now, in some positions, we don’t have any choices, for instance the left-back position.
“Luke Shaw has had only 15 starts this season so far and Tyrell Malacia zero starts – not even available. For over 10 years I’ve been managing and I never had this experience, so many huge injury issues, but I trust in all of my experience. It can happen once in 10 years, hopefully now I have to wait another 10 to have so many injuries to deal with.”
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