Man Utd dealt another injury blow as centre-back ruled out 'for next few weeks'
- Jonny Evans was forced off with a thigh problem early in the 4-3 defeat to Copenhagen
- Erik ten Hag is already without Lisandro Martinez, Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia in defence
- Man Utd return to action against Luton Town on Saturday
By Tom Gott
Manchester United have confirmed centre-back Jonny Evans will miss "the next few weeks" after suffering a thigh strain in the 4-3 defeat to Copenhagen.
Evans, signed this summer as emergency cover for Erik ten Hag's team, started the Champions League game alongside Harry Maguire but was forced off after just 16 minutes, with Raphael Varane coming on to replace him.
After conducting tests on the 35-year-old, United confirmed: "Jonny Evans will be out of action for the next few weeks with injury.
"The Northern Ireland defender suffered a thigh strain in the first half of our Champions League game with FC Copenhagen in Denmark on Wednesday."
Evans now joins fellow defenders Lisandro Martinez, Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia on the sidelines ahead of Saturday's Premier League outing against Luton Town.
Ten Hag is left with Varane, Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof as senior centre-back options, while the boss also expects to be without midfielder Casemiro until after Christmas after the Brazil international suffered a hamstring injury.
United head into Saturday's game as heavy favourites to beat a Luton side who sit 17th in the Premier League, but Ten Hag expects a tough test from the newly promoted outfit.
"It’s a good team," he told club media. "In the Premier League there are no easy games, and definitely not Luton.
"You see they have grown in the season and they have had some more good performances and results. Last week it was highly rated that performance so we have to be good, we have to play our best football to keep the three points at Old Trafford."
The game will also see United reunite with former Red Devils Tahith Chong and Teden Mengi.
"Of course they want to show that they were for so long part of this club," Ten Hag said of the duo. "I think they have Manchester United in their hearts, so definitely they want to show something and they want to win here. That is always the danger when old players are returning to Old Trafford."
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