Solskjaer on Dean Henderson: ‘Covid is scary - we have to be careful’

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has revealed Dean Henderson has not yet resumed full training after recently contracting Covid-19.

The Manchester United goalkeeper tested positive several weeks ago but suffered long-term symptoms from the virus which have forced him to sit out matches over the last few weekends.

Henderson will not be available for the Red Devils’ trip to take on Southampton this Sunday and Solskjaer feels players should remain vigilant when it comes to Covid, as younger people can still feel the impact of the infectious disease.

Speaking in Friday’s pre-match press conference, the United manager said: “I think the whole situation around Covid is still new and unknown, and that’s the scary bit of it and we don’t really know the effects,” he told reporters via video link.

“You hear less-fit people than footballers have it and [there are] no symptoms and you have fit footballers and you have after effects and prolonged side effects and tiredness. It’s a scary disease and virus, and we have to be really careful.

“With Dean, he was tired after training and he felt that and we needed to check him up,” Solskjaer continued. “Now he feels much better, he’s passed all the tests that we’ve gone through with him and he’s training.

“He’s building himself up again because he’s lost a few weeks. He’s working in the gym hard, he’s working out on the grass. He’s not with full team training yet, but it won’t be too long.”

Solskjaer was also asked about whether his players have been fully vaccinated and admitted not all of the first-team squad have opted to receive both jabs so far.

“They’re not all double jabbed,” said the Norwegian. “I am and I encourage all the lads to take their vaccinations, but we can’t force anyone to do that.

“To my understanding we still are wanting everyone to be double jabbed and it’s up to them. It’s still possible to take them.”