Manchester United have been handed a major boost as Casemiro and Lisandro Martinez returned to full training on Wednesday ahead of their FA and Premier League crackers against Wigan and Tottenham.
The Red Devils travel to face Wigan Athletic in the Emirates FA Cup third-round tie on January 8 and a Premier League game against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, January 14.
In a press conference last Friday, Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag confirmed that Martinez and Casemiro are likely to return to action in January.
“Manchester United duo Casemiro and Lisandro Martinez have returned to full training at Carrington, as they step up their recoveries from respective injuries this season,” a statement on Man United’s official website reads.
“The South American duo have been training individually alongside medical staff in recent months, and all their hard work – and patience – is close to paying off.
“Casemiro and Martinez trained on the grass with the full squad on Wednesday, signifying they are edging ever closer to being back in action.”
The return of Casemiro and Martinez to full training will serve as a major boost to the Man United side that have endured a miserable end to 2023, winning one of their last six matches across all competitions, and they sit seventh in the Premier League.
Martinez has not played since September after undergoing a second round of surgery on a recurring metatarsal issue that was first sustained in April. Casemiro has been sidelined since November 1 due to a hamstring injury.
Both had been undergoing individual rehabilitation training recently but, on Wednesday, rejoined group training for the first time since sustaining their setbacks.
The Red Devils are set to be further boosted this month, with Tyrell Malacia, Harry Maguire, Mason Mount and Victor Lindelof also due to return.
Meanwhile, Luke Shaw could be back for the FA Cup third-round clash with Wigan Athletic on Monday, with the defender missing his side’s last two matches due to an unspecified issue.
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