Manchester United defender Harry Maguire is an injury doubt for the Europa League final after suffering a twisted ankle in 3-1 win against Aston Villa in a huge blow for the Red Devils
- Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side beat ten-man Aston Villa 3-1 on Sunday afternoon
- Result means Manchester City have to wait before being crowned champions
- Maguire broke a run of playing every league minute since arriving in July 2019
- The England centre half previously blasted the club’s ‘ridiculous’ fixture pile-up
Harry Maguire could be out of the Europa League final after he limped out of the 2-1 win at Aston Villa with a twisted ankle.
The Manchester United skipper was hurt in a collision with Anwar El Ghazi and will have scans on Monday.
The injury broke Maguire’s run of playing every minute for United in the Premier League since joining from Leicester in the summer of 2019.
Harry Maguire could miss the Europa League final after picking up an injury against Aston Villa
The Manchester United centre half was injured in a challenge with Villa winger Anwar El Ghazi
Maguire, 28, initially tried to play on but went down again on the pitch and was eventually replaced by Ivorian Eric Bailly in the 78th minute.
Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admitted that the England defender could be out for a ‘few weeks’ — raising fears over his place in the Europa League final against Villarreal on May 26 in Gdansk, Poland.
‘We’ve got to check him,’ said Solskjaer. ‘It might be a few weeks, it might be a couple of days. Hopefully he won’t be too bad.’
Former Leicester centre half Maguire previously blasted the club’s ‘ridiculous’ fixture pile-up that sees them play three matches across just five days.
The 28-year-old had previously played every Premier League minute since signing in July 2019
He told Manchester United’s website: ‘It’s going to be very tough. I don’t think it’s ever been done in Premier League history. I don’t know why it’s been done.
‘Three games in five days is just ridiculous. It’s tough when you have two games in three days over the Christmas period, as happens sometimes. To have three in five, I don’t know where that’s come from; I don’t know why they’ve decided on that.
‘To be available for selection, and the manager to show the faith in me to play me in every Premier League game since I’ve signed, is a proud achievement. But for sure, it’s going to be tough to play three games in five days.
But now manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer fears Maguire could be out for the next few weeks
‘It’s a proud record of mine and to be dealt that from our fixtures and our schedule is a tough one to take if it does come to that, that I do need a rest in one of the games.’
Had Maguire completed the full game against Aston Villa, it would have marked 72 consecutive Premier League matches without missing a minute – breaking former United defender Gary Pallister’s record of 71.
The result means fierce rivals Manchester City cannot yet be officially crowned as Premier League champions, although that is expected to be a formality.
