Rasmus Hojlund And Mason Mount Close To Returning For Manchester United

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has said that Rasmus Hojlund and Mason Mount are on the verge of returning to his squad.

The Danish striker Hojlund has been out of action for nearly two months after picking up a hamstring injury on the club’s pre-season tour, while midfielder Mount sustained a muscular injury and has missed United’s last three games.

“It’s very good news,” Ten Hag said at a press conference on Thursday. “They are back on the pitch, they are back in team training and, yeah, we have to decide whether they are fit enough to start. But I think it’s very pleasing they are back with the squad. We have so many games also in this block to cover, so, yeah, very happy.”

Ten Hag is keen for the pair to bolster his confident squad who have won twice in the last week, beating Southampton 3-0 in the Premier League last Saturday, and triumphing over Barnsley 7-0 in the Carabao Cup at Old Trafford on Tuesday.

These wins saw United’s attacking players score seven goals, with Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho scoring three each, and Antony converting a penalty.

“It’s very good, of course, that your strikers, they are starting to score when the season is very young. Strikers, they need that belief, and we have now a couple of players who are, in the meanwhile, on the scoring list, and it is very good as a team, because that will strengthen their belief, and they will come up for more, and they will score more goals now.”

The Brazilian winger Antony took advantage of his first start of the season against Barnsley by contributing a goal, and Ten Hag stressed his players always need to be ready.

“I think every player should give those reactions. You have to train hard, you have to perform in training, you have to earn the right to play, and when the moment is your chance, you have to take them.”

“But, yeah, the manager can only pick 11 players, and then I can only make five subs, so make sure you are with those 16 players for every game. And you do it by, on a consistent basis; perform. In training, and of course, that’s the most important, when the chance is there, you have to perform in a game. You have to contribute to a winning team.”

On Saturday United face Crystal Palace in the Premier League and return to Selhurst Park for the first time since their humiliating 4-0 defeat there last season.

“We know what will come to us,” Ten Hag said about the trip to south London. “We know it’s always tough there, always aggressive there. But we know also the circumstances and you can’t compare this. We didn’t have a fit squad, we even had one or two players that were maybe up to 20 per cent to play, but we had to play them.”

“And this time it’s totally different, we have now a fit squad. We have, definitely, 18 players who are capable to go into this good challenge for us.”