Yoro, Eriksen, Mainoo - Manchester United injury news and return dates ahead of Chelsea fixture

Interim manager Ruud van Nistelrooy will be targeting a second win in as many matches when Manchester United welcome Chelsea to Old Trafford in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.

United made a flying start to the Dutchman's stint as caretaker manager on Wednesday night, beating Leicester City 5-2 in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup.

The focus for Van Nistelrooy now switches back to the bread and butter of the league and attempting to transform United's fortunes. They head into this weekend's action sat 14th in the table.

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United have won just one of their last five league matches and are desperately in need of three points to start climbing the ladder. Chelsea, however, will pose a stern test having won four of their last six league matches.

Ahead of the visit of the Londoners, Van Nistelrooy is poised to pick from the same group of players who were involved against Leicester in midweek. With that said, here is all the very latest on the United injury front.

Leny Yoro

Injury: Fractured metatarsal

United issued an update on Yoro last month, confirming he had started training outside at Carrington. He has been unavailable since fracturing his metatarsal in the opening game of United's pre-season tour of the United States in July.

United anticipated he would be sidelined for around three months after undergoing surgery at the start of August. He was walking without crutches as soon as early-September and has been working hard in the gym at Carrington since. He will not be rushed and his competitive debut for the club is 'not imminent'.

Possible return date: November.

Harry Maguire

Injury: Foot

Maguire has been absent since being forced off against Aston Villa prior to the international break. He limped off the field, requiring support from members of the United medical team, and was replaced by Matthijs de Ligt just before half-time.

Maguire posted on social media that he would be out for 'a few weeks', something former United boss Erik ten Hag confirmed a few days later. He has missed the last four matches.

Possible return date: November.

Luke Shaw

Injury: Calf

Shaw has now gone eight full months without playing for United. After originally being tipped to return after the first international break of the season in September and then after the second last month, his absence is still ongoing.

Speaking after the defeat to West Ham United last weekend, Ten Hag confirmed Shaw had suffered a setback and that his recovery is not going in the direction United would have hoped for.

He said: "The process is not going as we expected, that's the truth. The setback, if you want to call it like this, we want also to do it very careful. When he is now dropping again, we want to be very careful.

"We know his past, we have to do this right, because we want him to be available, because he will have a big impact on our performances and also on our levels. We can't have him playing for some games and then drop out again. So, we will do it very carefully."

Possible return date: Unknown.

Tyrell Malacia

Injury: Knee

Malacia has been training with the first-team in recent weeks, offering encouragement that his return might not be all that far away. He last played for United on the final day of the 2022/23 Premier League season.

In August, Ten Hag said the defender was moving in the right direction, suggesting he could be back at some point in October: "He is not that far [off], but he is now in a progress situation. At a relatively short notice, he can again return into team training and then into team performance in games. I think it would be possible [to be available again] in two months."

October, of course, has now been and gone and it remains to be seen when the left-back will be available for selection.

Possible return date: Unknown.

Kobbie Mainoo

Injury: Muscle

Mainoo suffered a muscle injury in the closing stages of United's 0-0 draw with Villa and has missed the last four matches. Ten Hag, speaking at his pre-Brentford press conference a fortnight ago, said he expected the academy graduate to be unavailable for 'a couple of weeks'.

It remains to be seen if he will be available for the visit of Chelsea.

Possible return date: November 3 (Chelsea H).

Christian Eriksen

Injury: Unknown

Eriksen was absent from the matchday squad against Leicester, watching the game from the directors' box. He is understood have pulled out of the squad through injury, but details of it have so far been kept under wraps.

Possible return date: Unknown.

Mason Mount

Injury: Knock

Mount has missed the last six matches after being forced off with a head injury that required stitches against Tottenham Hotspur on September 29.

Ten Hag, speaking ahead of last week's 1-1 draw with Fenerbahce, said: "I think a bit longer [to wait for Mount], that's what we expected. I think he will be back soon."

Possible return date: Unknown.

Toby Collyer

Injury: Unknown

Explaining why Jack Fletcher had been included in the squad for the win over Brentford almost a fortnight ago, Ten Hag revealed Collyer was another midfielder who had been added to the injury list. However, he stopped short of offering any detail on the nature or extent of his injury.

The Manchester Evening News now understands he will be unavailable for 'roughly a month'.

Possible return date: December.

Antony

Injury: Sprained ankle

Antony was forced off on a stretcher in the closing stages of United's stalemate with Fenerbahce, just 16 minutes after being introduced from the bench. He left the stadium requiring crutches, sporting a protective boot on his left leg.

It was later revealed he had suffered an ankle sprain and he played no part in the recent clashes with West Ham and Leicester.

Possible return date: Unknown.