Eric Bailly: Manchester United defender absent due to positive Covid test, reveals Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

Eric Bailly was absent from Manchester United’s squad for Sunday’s Premier League victory over Brighton after the defender tested positive for coronavirus while on international duty, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has revealed.

United were 2-1 winners against Brighton at Old Trafford, with Marcus Rashford equalising for the hosts after Danny Welbeck had struck against his old club, before Mason Greenwood’s late diving header sealed the result for Solskjaer’s side.

Both Rashford and Greenwood had been injury doubts before the game, as had centre-back Victor Lindelof, but all three started for United. Anthony Martial, a confirmed absentee ahead of kick-off, however, is likely to miss the rest of the season, Solskjaer said earlier on Sunday.

But Bailly was conspicuous in his absence, with Solskjaer saying after the final whistle that the centre-back had not returned from international duty with the Ivory Coast due to recording a positive Covid-19 test result.

“He won’t be with us for a little while,” United coach Solskjaer said.

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“He went away with the Ivory Coast and tested positive for Covid.

“He’s not back in the country yet.”

Second-placed United have eight games remaining in the Premier League this season, with a two-legged Europa League quarter-final tie against Granada also looming.

Thursday’s first leg marks United’s next outing, with a top-flight trip to Tottenham taking place after that match and before the second leg.