Lyon provide 'deeply saddening' and 'serious' injury update on speed demon just days before Man Utd clash
Lyon have been dealt a fresh injury blow just days before their Europa League clash with Man United
Manchester United’s Europa League quarter final opponents Lyon have confirmed that Ernest Nuamah has suffered a serious anterior cruciate ligament injury that is set to rule him out for a lengthy period.
The Ligue 1 side warmed up for their clash with United by winning 2-1 at home to LOSC Lille on Saturday afternoon. Bafode Diakite put the visitors in front after just one minute but former Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette equalised from the penalty spot on 38 minutes.
Rayan Cherki, who has been linked with a summer move to the Premier League, scored the winner in the 70th. The victory has come at a cost, however, with Nuamah lasting just seven minutes before being forced off with an injury. He went for scans on the issue on Sunday and Lyon have now provided an update.
Ernest Nuamah suffers ACL injury ahead of Man United clash
Providing an update on their website, Lyon said on Monday: “Olympique Lyonnais are deeply saddened to announce the serious injury suffered by Ernest Nuamah, who ruptured an anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee on Saturday evening during the OL-Lille match. OL wholeheartedly supports Ernest and will do everything in its power to enable him to make a full recovery.”
Nuamah came through the academy at Nordsjælland in Denmark before moving to Lyon in 2023. He initially joined the club on loan before securing a permanent transfer last summer. His coach at Nordsjaelland, Fleming Pedersen, said of the player back in 2023, via Breaking The Lines: “Ernest is first and foremost a dribbler. He is incredibly fast, has a huge acceleration, and a good agility.”
Nuamah has scored six goals and provided two assists in all competitions this season and was strongly linked with a January move to United’s Premier League rivals Everton but stayed put with Lyon.
How Lyon will cope without Ernest Nuamah against Man United
While Nuamah has six goals this season, half of those have come in just nine Europa League games. He scored in a 3-2 win over Eintracht Frankfurt back in December while he scored a brace in the second leg of Lyon’s round of 16 win over FCSB. The French club beat the Romanian side 7-1 on aggregate to set up a clash with United in the last eight.
Lyon introduced Rayan Cherki off the bench against Lille but they were likely resting the player ahead of Thursday’s clash with United. The 21-year-old Frenchman normally occupies the striker position or is deployed in an attacking midfield role. Lyon will need to find a solution to their attacking wide position with Red Devils January signing Patrick Dorgu likely to be tasked with keeping that side of the pitch quiet. Dorgu has been utilised frequently by Amorim since his move to Old Trafford in January and has only missed games through suspension after being sent off against Ipswich Town earlier this year.
In their two games since the international break, Lyon have lost 4-2 at Strasbourg and won 2-1 at home to Lyon while United have lost to Nottingham Forest and drawn with Manchester City.