Manchester United are hoping to welcome back Harry Maguire and Leny Yoro for Tuesday’s clash with Nottingham Forest but Ayden Heaven remains unavailable.
Maguire has been absent for the last four games while Yoro missed the last two matches prior to the international break due to a foot injury.
But the two centre-backs have recovered over the break and will now return to provide a welcome boost to Ruben Amorim ahead of a tricky trip the City Ground.
‘[Harry] Maguire is also ready to go to the game and [Leny] Yoro, yes [also],’ Amorim confirmed at his pre-match press conference on Monday.
In the absence of Maguire and Yoro, 18-year-old Heaven started his first Premier League game against Leicester but was stretchered off early in the second half with an unspecified injury.
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The teenager sounded optimistic when providing an update to fans shortly after the injury, but Amorim confirmed it was too soon for the centre-back to make his return to the matchday squad.
Luke Shaw, who last started for United against Luton Town on February 18 last year, is also not ready to return despite having recently resumed first-team training.
‘Luke [Shaw] is not ready yet. We are starting to do some drills with the team but we are building Luke,’ Amorim added.
Asked about other injured players in his squad, Amorim added: ‘Mason Mount is feeling better but he was already on the bench the last game.
‘Kobbie [Mainoo] is almost returning but he is not ready for this game. Jonny Evans is recovering, Ayden is recovering. Licha [Martinez] is out, I think that’s it.’
Pressed on whether Heaven will return before the end of the season, the Portuguese head coach responded: ‘It was not so serious. He’s recovering, he’s not ready to play but he’s going to return this season, for sure.’
United will also be able to welcome back January signing Patrick Dorgu following his three-match suspension for a red card.
The Red Devils face a busy schedule in the coming weeks, with the Manchester Derby coming just five days after the midweek clash with Forest.
Amorim’s side then travel to France for their first leg of their Europa League quarter-final tie with Lyon on Thursday before a trip to St James’ Park to take on newly-crowned Carabao Cup winners Newcastle United the following Sunday.
‘It is really important for us to have these players available for us to fight. I think it is a very good moment in our season,’ Amorim conceded.
‘I know we will have at least three games in the Premier League that are really tough. The Europa League is also really important.”
‘I don’t know which place we are going to finish in, but we want to win games. We still have matches to finish in a different position. We are more confident, so we are looking up. We want to win games and are looking up at the moment.’
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