Erik ten Hag insists he is 'pleased' with how Man Utd have dealt with injury crisis as he compares returning players to 'five or six new signings'

The Red Devils have had a tumultuous first half of the 2023-24 campaign as they sit seventh in the Premier League and have crashed out of Europe altogether. Constant fitness issues have not helped the United's cause, however, and Ten Hag believes it will feel like his team have made a bunch of new signings when his stars return to the squad imminently.

He told reporters: "We expect many players to return in mid-January: Mason [Mount], Casemiro, [Lisandro] Martinez, [Tyrell] Malacia, so we expect Harry Maguire, of course. I think we are very optimistic. When the players return and now the luck is a little bit on our side in the matter of injuries, then we have five or six new signings in January. I think not any team can deal with so many setbacks we had. We are not satisfied but you have to be pleased with the number of points.

"When we have all the players back, we proved it against Liverpool, Arsenal and Aston Villa, one two and three (in the league), we went to head-to-head. We could have won all the games. We showed how hungry we are, the determination and right mentality. It showed once again this squad is strong even with many players not on board. Even then, we can compete and go head-to-head with the strongest teams in this league, When the players are back we can beat anyone if the mentality is right. It’s up to us."

The likes of Amad Diallo and Malacia have not featured for United all season due to injury, while Martinez and Casemiro have been out of action since October. Maguire and Victor Lindelof last played in early December before suffering setbacks. Mount, who has been out since November, returned to training this week and could be available for selection again very soon.

It remains to be seen whether United make any actual signings in January after a busy summer. Having come from two goals behind to beat Aston Villa 3-2 for their first win in five matches, United will look to make it two straight victories when they take on struggling Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Saturday.