Faithful United

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says captain Harry Maguire is facing a “few weeks” on the sidelines with a calf injury.

The 28-year-old centre-back limped off in the second half of Saturday’s 1-0 home defeat to Aston Villa in the Premier League.

Maguire was conspicuous by his absence from training on Tuesday morning, as was left-back Luke Shaw after coming off with an issue of his own at the weekend.

Solskjaer says the latter could yet feature against Villarreal in the Champions League on Wednesday, but United skipper Maguire faces a spell out of action.

“Luke has been in today, so I’ll give him a chance to be involved tomorrow,” the Norwegian said. “He didn’t train with the team.

“Harry is more or less definitely out. It doesn’t look good. So, apart from that, from the bruised pride from the result, we should be ready to go.”

Pushed on Maguire’s situation, Solskjaer said: “It’s his calf. That might take a few weeks, so let’s see how quickly he recovers.

“Of course he was hoping to play against Villarreal – he missed the last game we played against them (in the Europa League final in May).

Big win at the Old Trafford

Bruno hat-trick 🎩, Pogba 4 assists 🔥, and Fred with a goal ⚽, Man United midfield is wild 👹

Manchester United have confirmed an agreement with Real Madrid for the signing of Raphael Varane.

The 28-year-old centre-back will become Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s second major signing of the summer after the arrival of Jadon Sancho earlier in the month.

The two clubs agreed a fee, understood to be £34million ($47m) plus add ons, on Monday and the deal is now subject to medical before Varane signs what will be a four-year contract at Old Trafford.

Manchester United midfielder Andreas Pereira has declared he'd like to return to Lazio.

The Brazil international spent last season on-loan at Lazio and is currently doing preseason with United.

He told Sky Italia: "I'd like to go back to the Biancoceleste [Lazio] if I was given more time. Rome could be my definitive home, I had a great time. I love the style of play and the team spirit that exists in Serie A.

"Lazio have priority in my heart, but your country has won me over, why not come back one day if the opportunity arises? The fans are the main reason for my passion for Lazio. Even without having them [Lazio fans] at the stadium, I was able to feel their affection in the streets and especially on social networks.

"At Lazio I have always given my best in the time I have been granted. I think my performance could be better if I had more minutes and more freedom to play. When you come in at the end of the game, the task you have to do tactically is not the best."

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has revealed that Marcus Rashford may still not have surgery on the shoulder injury which is threatening to rule him out of the start of the season.

The 23-year-old had been hampered by the problem towards the end of the season with the Red Devils but played on through the pain barrier for England at the European Championship.

Rashford had a scan on Tuesday and reports claimed it showed the damage was so severe that he must have an operation.

However, Solskjaer says a decision has not yet been made.

'We're looking at the best option, he went away just to reflect on it a little bit and we have to take the best course of action for him and the club,' said the Norwegian after United's 2-1 friendly win over Derby.

'We're still addressing that with the experts.'

First victory for United 🔴

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is preparing his Manchester United players for a big change in tactics for the coming season in favour of an ultra-attacking 4-3-3 formation, according to a report in ESPN.

The report says the Norwegian is considering doing away with his trusted midfield partnership of Fred and Scott McTominay and will play just one holding midfielder in order to find a way to play new signing Jadon Sancho and star midfielders Paul Pogba and Bruno Fernandes in the same starting 11.

And the report says that the club must sign a top, ball-playing centreback to make the plan work, with Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane top of the club's list.

The 28-year-old is back in pre-season training with Manchester United and will hold talks with manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with just a year left on his current contract.

West Ham loaned Lingard for the second half of the 2020/21 season, with the 28-year-old scoring nine goals for David Moyes' side and returning to the England fold as a result.

"Regular football is the most important thing for me," Lingard told Sky Sports News in June. "After going on loan and getting a good run in the team, you started to see the real me, with the goals and the assists."

Lingard was included in England's 33-man squad before Euro 2020 and played in both of their warm-up friendlies ahead of the tournament, but he was one of seven players to miss out on making the final squad.

In May, Moyes said of Lingard's potential return: "I couldn't say any more than I'm hopeful Jesse might want to come here, that's up to Manchester United, but he's been a positive signing."

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says he has no doubt Marcus Rashford will continue to put himself forward for penalties after he missed from the spot in England's shootout defeat in the Euro 2020 final.

Rashford, along with Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka, failed to score his spot-kick as England were beaten by Italy following a 1-1 draw at Wembley.

However, the 23-year-old has scored some notable penalties for Manchester United, none more so than his stoppage-time effort away to Paris Saint-Germain in 2019 that sealed a dramatic 3-1 win and progress to the Champions League quarter-finals.

Rashford was also successful from the spot in United's Europa League final shootout against Villarreal in May, and Solskjaer told the club's website: "When you step up to take a penalty, I think you've already won.

"You've taken on the responsibility and I'm sure many of the players are hoping, 'I don't want to take a penalty'. So I think it's a great character trait to step up and say, 'I will deal with it, [and] the consequences'.

"You might be the hero or the one who misses. That's football. You learn from it and definitely come back stronger.

"I've not seen many people, at this club anyway, who lay down and say, 'I'll not take a penalty anymore'. I know Marcus is going to put his hand up and say he wants to take one for us."

Europa League final: lost on penalties ❌
Euro final: lost on penalties ❌
💔 Stay strong lads

Shawberto Carlos 🔴