Not starting a season in a good manner is one of the negative situations that could potentially affect a club in the long run. This depicts the current situation of Manchester United, as the club has been poor across competitions so far.
Many have blamed the downfall of the club on its owners, who are currently evaluating the option of selling the team. Meanwhile, others have labeled the failure on the manager.
While we could highlight that there's still enough time for the Red Devils to adjust and improve, we could also tag their downfall on the absence of some key players in the squad.
On that note, this article will talk about three Manchester United players whose injury has affected the club in the current season.
#3 Amad Diallo
After his successful loan spell at Sunderland in the previous season, Amad Diallo was anticipated to compete with the likes of Antony and Jadon Sancho for a start on the right flank.
However, he sustained a knee injury during the pre-season, and he has been on the sidelines since July. His absence could be seen as a great miss because the club's right wing has been marred with numerous irregularities this season.
Antony, who's the first-choice right-winger, had to leave the squad due to a legal investigation, while Sancho was suspended by Erik ten Hag for disciplinary reasons. Facundo Pellistri has also not been able to deliver in the right-wing as well.
On the basis of the above, had it been that Diallo was fit to play, his attacking intuition and vision on the right wing would have helped the Red Devils in their current situation.
#2 Aaron Wan-Bissaka
The debate whether Diogo Dalot is better than Aaron Wan-Bissaka is gradually coming to an end, as supporters have missed the commanding defensive presence of the Englishman in the right-back position.
While Dalot can be seen as a defender that offers more in attack, his defensive coordination has been a major letdown. Hence, the defense was more vulnerable as they'd been guilty of shipping cheap goals.
These defensive errors could have arguably been avoided if Wan-Bissaka was present.
#1 Luke Shaw
Ever since Luke Shaw sustained a muscle injury in August, the left-back position has been weak. To add insult to injury, Sergio Reguilon, who was bought to replace him, has also been injured for some weeks now.
This has left Ten Hag with no option than to play Sofyan Amrabat at left-back. Fielding the Moroccan as a left-back is definitely a defensive weakness, as it has been used as a way by several opponents to break into the Red Devils defense.
While the above can be seen as one of the reasons why Manchester United are struggling in defense, it's key to note that the club has missed the robust and energetic presence of Shaw.