Manchester United have been handed an unwelcome setback ahead of their Champions League trip to face Atletico Madrid, with two key players emerging as doubts for the fixture at the Metropolitano Stadium on Tuesday night.
The match represents United's second outing in this season's Champions League league phase, and comes at a crucial time for Michael Carrick's side, who are seeking to halt a run of four matches without a win across all competitions.
Luke Shaw is the most pressing concern. The experienced left-back featured in United's 1-1 draw with Tottenham Hotspur at the weekend but did not see out the full match, withdrawn in stoppage time and replaced by Ayden Heaven. Carrick offered no immediate explanation for the change at the time, but video circulating on social media soon after the final whistle showed Shaw appearing to limp as he left Old Trafford, fuelling speculation over the severity of his issue.
Given the tight scheduling between the Tottenham fixture and the trip to Spain, supporters had been bracing for bad news regarding Shaw's fitness. Those fears appeared to be confirmed when the 31-year-old was absent from United's training session at Carrington on the eve of the Atletico match. Shaw has already missed one Champions League fixture this season, sitting out United's league phase victory over Sabah last month, and now looks set to be sidelined again for the visit to Madrid.
Adding to Carrick's selection headache is the situation surrounding Kobbie Mainoo. The young midfielder played the entirety of the draw with Spurs at the weekend, showing no obvious signs of discomfort during the match. However, he too was missing from the training session held ahead of the Atletico trip, and he is now regarded as a serious doubt to feature against Diego Simeone's side.
The timing of the fitness concerns could hardly be worse for United, who are desperate to arrest their poor run of form heading into a daunting European away day. A victory over Atletico would go a long way to steadying the ship, both in terms of results and confidence, but losing two influential figures from the squad would represent a significant blow to Carrick's options.
Shaw's defensive experience and composure on the ball have made him a mainstay of United's backline when fit, while Mainoo's energy and progressive passing in midfield have been important components of the side's play in recent seasons. Their potential absence would force Carrick to consider alternative options as he looks to set up his team for what promises to be a tough test against a well-organised Atletico outfit on home soil.
Carrick is expected to clarify the fitness situation for both players when he speaks to the media at his pre-match news conference on Monday evening. Until then, uncertainty will linger over the extent of the issues affecting Shaw and Mainoo, and whether either will be fit enough to be included in the matchday squad for the trip to the Spanish capital.
United will be hoping for positive updates as they attempt to end their winless streak and pick up a vital result in their Champions League campaign. Further team news and confirmation of the squad is anticipated in the build-up to kickoff.
Based on reporting from Standard Sport.