Manchester United have suffered another injury blow, with news Luke Shaw will not return to action until the end of November.
The defender’s muscle problem is worse than first feared and he is now set to sit out for another five weeks.
It means Erik ten Hag will be without his first-choice left-back for their next seven matches - a run of games that includes the Manchester derby against Man City.
Shaw has only played two games all season, Man United's opening two fixtures against Wolves and Tottenham.
He was forced off during the game against Spurs and has missed nine games for his club and four for England as he undergoes rehab.
It was believed he was close to a return, but Ten Hag has confirmed the problem is more serious than the club first believed, and so his spell on the sidelines will continue.
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The defender is expected to be back in action after the next international break, with a return earmarked for United’s trip to Everton on November 26.
Ten Hag also provided a fitness update on full-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who has been sidelined since coming on as a late substitute in the home defeat to Brighton in September.
"Of course, they are closer [to a comeback]," Ten Hag said when asked about the status of the two defenders.
"But so, for instance, Luke Shaw, I don't expect him back in this block of games.
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"For instance, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, I don't think he's too far away from returning into team training and so back in the team.”
United have suffered a poor start to the season with just 12 points won from their opening eight games, but went into the international break on the back of a morale-boosting victory over Brentford.
Ten Hag will look to continue that winning run when they visit Sheffield United on Saturday night - LIVE on talkSPORT - but the manager has warned fans to temper their expectations with so many of the team’s key players missing.
Lisandro Martinez is a big miss for United, with the Argentine currently taking an extended break to heal from surgery on his foot, while midfielder Casemiro was also sidelined while playing for Brazil.
“If you can't use, every time, the same players, you can't bring in the routines," said the manager.
"Some routines slipped away in the last weeks and, yeah, that had a bad effect on the results. As you said, I never use it as an excuse. We still have a good squad, we still have to win, we still have our principles, rules and way of playing.
"The players should know what to do, of course, but in co-operation, sometimes with different combinations that have not played so often together, sometimes you get hesitation.
“Such details, the opposition take benefit from it. As I said, and you said, you can never use that as an excuse."
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