Mazraoui, Mainoo & Garnacho: Manchester United injury news and return dates ahead of Brentford clash

Manchester United looked like a team that needed a little time off after going five matches without a win, but the international break wasn’t necessarily the stress-free experience that under-pressure head coach Erik ten Hag was hoping for – the Dutchman now has several fresh injury problems to contend with ahead of Saturday’s Premier League match against Brentford.

Not only were players such as Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho forced to pull out of their national teams’ fixtures due to fitness concerns, but summer signing Nouassir Mazraoui also had to undergo a corrective procedure due to a heart issue. That has been described as precautionary, but the Moroccan is one of ten players who could be unavailable for the game at Old Trafford. We’ve collected all of the latest injury updates and expected return dates below for you.

Nouassir Mazraoui

Perhaps the most impressive of United’s new arrivals thus far, Mazraoui was substituted at half-time of the 0-0 draw against Aston Villa with suspected heart palpitations. It was later reported that he was dealing with heart arrhythmia, a relatively common problem which required a minor procedure to resolve. The full-back will now have to rest for at least a few weeks and perhaps for as much as two months. Mazraoui previously missed three months of football at former club Bayern Munich due to a heart complaint which was believed to have arisen as a result of complications from Covid-19.

Kobbie Mainoo

The gifted young midfielder withdrew from Lee Carsley’s England squad last week with an unspecified fitness concern, not long after being taken off the field against Aston Villa. Mainoo had previously missed the 3-3 Europa League draw with Porto after an apparent hamstring strain suffered in the home loss to Tottenham Hotspur. The club have not provided any further updates on Mainoo’s condition, and it is unclear whether his withdrawal from international duty was purely precautionary or a sign of a more significant issue.

Alejandro Garnacho

The 20-year-old winger was another player who dropped out of international duties over the break, citing a knee issue which had been troubling him in recent matches. It was that problem which led to him starting on the bench against Porto and while he was able to play through discomfort against Villa, it was determined that a period of rest was required. Garnacho told Argentina fans on social media that he expected to be back to play their next games in November but no more precise updates have been offered by player or club, and Garnacho must be considered a doubt for the visit of Brentford.

Amad Diallo

The third and final player to pull out of his national squad is young winger Diallo, who withdrew from the Ivory Coast’s squad due to an unspecified illness last Wednesday. There is, however, no suggestion that the illness is serious and while the club have not provided any specific information about his condition, there is every chance that he is well enough to play this coming weekend.

Harry Maguire

Maguire was left out of Carsley’s latest England squad but would have been another late withdrawal if he were selected – the experienced centre-half limped out of the game against Villa with a foot injury and later posted on Instagram to tell fans that he would have to spend “a few weeks on the sideline”. He is unlikely to feature against Brentford but is expected to be fit by the end of the month.

Luke Shaw

A calf complaint means that the left-back has yet to feature so far this season, but Ten Hag had been hopeful that he would be ready to return to action after the October international break. Updates have been few and far between, however, with club and player both keeping quiet as to his progress. It is unclear whether he will be available this weekend as it stands, but barring setbacks he should return very soon.

Rasmus Højlund

The young Dane has only recently returned to action following a hamstring injury that he picked up in pre-season, but is a member of the Denmark squad which lost 1-0 to Spain on Saturday, when Højlund came on as a late substitute. It was, however, reported that he missed a training session immediately afterwards, although it is unclear whether the move was precautionary or as the result of an injury concern. Denmark play in Switzerland on Tuesday evening, and his presence or absence in the team could be telling. There has been no report of a serious problem, however.

Mason Mount

The injury-prone midfielder missed United’s last two matches thanks to a knock and separate head injury sustained in a clash of heads against Spurs – the latter of which required stitches, although Mount is not believed to have been concussed in the incident. No further updates have been offered, so Mount may be a doubt for the game against Brentford.

Leny Yoro

The £52m summer signing has yet to play for his new club thanks to a foot injury he picked up in a pre-season tour of the United States. That required surgery but the procedure was successful and Yoro has been posting occasional positive updates about his progress on social media. He is not expected to be available until early November at the earliest, however.

Tyrell Malacia

The Dutch left-back missed the entirety of the 2023/24 season thanks to an ACL injury and complications endured during his recovery process, and has been slowly building his fitness back up this season so far. He has been pictured in first-team training recently and is close to a return, with some chance that he plays limited senior minutes this month. Minutes with the Under-21s may come first, however – their next match is on 25 October.