Man Utd confirm World Cup duo are back in training plus injury update on defender

Christian Eriksen and Facundo Pellistri are back in Manchester United training, the club have confirmed via their official website.

The pair played at the World Cup for Denmark and Uruguay respectively, with both nations dumped out at the group stage. Therefore, Eriksen and Pellistri could be involved for United when they take on Burnley in next Wednesday’s Carabao Cup fourth-round tie.

The Red Devils should also be able to call upon the services of the few senior players who weren’t in action in Qatar, including David de Gea, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Victor Lindleof, Scott McTominay, Alejandro Garnacho and Anthony Martial. The Red Devils warmed up for the encounter with Vincent Kompany’s men with a double header of friendlies in Spain last week.

United lost to Cadiz and Real Betis with a squad that was made up heavily of underage players. One of those included Teden Mengi, who started both matches against the Spanish clubs, but was forced off after just 19 minutes in the latter due to injury. Yet speaking on Tuesday, youth-team coach Travis Binnion confirmed the injury is not as serious as first feared.

"I haven’t got an update on that," he told the Manchester Evening News, following the Under-21s’ 4-0 loss to Bolton Wanderers in the EFL Trophy. "I don’t think it’s as bad as maybe what was first feared, or what it looked like, so that’s a positive. He’s had a couple of injuries before, so he knows what he’s got to do.

"He’s got the mental strength to deal with it and come back from it, so he’ll be fine, but it’s disappointing for him.”

The 20-year-old has endured rotten luck with injuries in recent years and had loans at Derby County and Birmingham City cut short due to long-term problems in each of the last two seasons. The latter injury impacted Mengi’s start to the 2022/23 campaign and he played just five times for the club’s Under-21 side this season prior to the trip to Spain.

Mengi’s absence could be significant for the Burnley game as United only have one senior centre-back - Victor Lindelof - who was not at the World Cup. The injury could result in Harry Maguire being rushed back to play, just 11 days after England’s elimination in the quarter-finals in Qatar.