Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has announced that Tyrell Malacia, Luke Shaw, and Rasmus Højlund will be unavailable for the Premier League match against Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday, August 24. The Red Devils will take on the Seagulls at the Amex Stadium with several important players out due to injury.
United began their 2024-25 league season with a 1-0 win over Fulham, secured by a late goal from new recruit Joshua Zirkzee. However, they will face Brighton without some key players.
In a pre-match press conference, Ten Hag confirmed the absences of Malacia, Højlund, and Shaw, stating, “Tyrell Malacia, Rasmus Højlund, they’re not available. Luke Shaw, of course, [is out].”
Malacia has been sidelined since the start of the 2023-24 season with a knee injury, but Ten Hag recently suggested he could return in a few months. Højlund, who sustained a hamstring injury during a pre-season match against Arsenal, is expected to return by the end of August.
Shaw, who injured his calf during pre-season, is anticipated to be out until mid-September. Diogo Dalot filled in as left-back against Fulham, with Noussair Mazraoui playing right-back.
Additionally, Ten Hag revealed that Victor Lindelof will miss the Brighton game due to a toe injury. Lindelof also missed the Fulham match. Ten Hag expressed optimism about a quick recovery, saying, “He has an issue with his toe. So, hopefully, he can return quickly, but he is not available for the weekend.”
With Lindelof unavailable, Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez started against Fulham, and Matthijs de Ligt made his Manchester United debut as a substitute. The team will also be without 18-year-old center-back Leny Yoro, who is injured from pre-season.
Facing Brighton, United will need to perform well, especially considering last season’s results, where they lost 3-1 at Old Trafford but won 2-0 at the Amex. With several key players missing, Ten Hag’s team will need to be at their best to achieve a positive outcome.
