Erik ten Hag confirms four Man Utd absentees for Leeds United clash amid violent conduct fear

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag has issued an injury update on his side ahead of Wednesday night’s clash with Leeds United.

Leeds head to Old Trafford for the first of back-to-back games against the Red Devils on Wednesday, and they do so without a manager after deciding to sack Jesse Marsch on Monday. There will be a three-man coaching team in charge of the Whites on Wednesday, and it will be a tricky challenge for all involved, with Man Utd unbeaten in 13 at Old Trafford, while they are also forcing their way up the table amid a fine run of form.

Ahead of the clashes with Leeds, Ten Hag has lost Casemiro to a three-game suspension after the midfielder put his hands around the neck of Will Hughes last time out. Beyond that, Ten Hag has detailed three injury issues.

(McTominay, Anthony Martial and Casemiro) “They are not involved tomorrow,” he said. “The same with Antony also not available for tomorrow. We have to sort it out.”

Casemiro has made an immense impact at Old Trafford after arriving on a big-money deal in the summer, and speaking about the loss of the Brazilian to suspension, Ten Hag added: “I always have to play with the players who are available and we have a squad, we have many good players in our squad who are also not playing in the starting XI and I have to do it.

“After a game I can’t say ‘Casemiro is not there, Anthony Martial is not there,’ we have to win. United are capable and we have to win the games no matter who is on the pitch.”

There were claims for Man Utd to appeal Casemiro’s red card, but Ten Hag has confirmed that won’t be happening. He said: “For me it wasn’t the right decision but I don’t think we have a chance in a legal process.”

If Manchester United were to appeal Casemiro’s suspension, they run the risk of the Football Association increasing the Brazilian’s ban to four matches due to the nature of his altercation with Palace’s Hughes being deemed ‘violent conduct’. A four-game ban would see the decorated midfielder miss this month’s Carabao Cup Final against Newcastle, therefore Ten Hag’s club have decided against an appeal.