The Frenchman picked up a knock in training that has seen him sidelined for the Red Devils’ latest Europa League outing.
Anthony Martial has been forced to sit out Manchester United’s battle with Club Brugge because of injury, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has verified.
The Red Devils will play host to the Belgian team in a Europa League round of 32 second-leg tie Thursday night, with the tie delicately poised after a 1-1 draw in the reverse fixture in Jan Breydel Stadium.
Martial scored a critical equaliser in the first leg after capitalising on a moment of confusion at the Brugge defence, and scored his 15th goal of the season three days later in a 3-0 Premier League win over Watford.
However, Solskjaer will need to make do with no first-choice centre-forward this time around, with January loan signing Odion Ighalo drafted in as the Frenchman’s replacement.
“He did not feel right after the training yesterday, or (rather) he walked off through training and he is hurt,” the United boss said of Martial at a pre-match interview.
“So hopefully it will not be too bad but I do not know yet how long he will be.”
Ighalo will be making his first start for the Red Devils since joining the club on a six-month deal from Shanghai Shenhua.
The Nigerian frontman has showcased as a substitute in United’s last three matches, but he’ll be leading the line by the off against Brugge, with Daniel James and Bruno Fernandes providing aid in the assault.
Elsewhere, Scott McTominay has returned to the beginning lineup after recovering from a knee issue that has kept him out of action since Boxing Day.
Eric Bailly is back in the fold after missing the Watford success, with Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw and Aaron Wan-Bissaka making up the rest of the United defence.
“They [Bailly & McTominay] want the moments, but they deserve to play,” Solskjaer added. “Eric did really well against Chelsea and Scott has been fantastic all season, but it isn’t a game to just give minutes, we would like to win the match and win it well.”
The former head trainer will prepare his squad for a return to Premier League responsibilities after their newest European excursion, with a visit to Goodison Park to confront Everton on the cards that Sunday.
The Red Devils can keep up the pressure on fourth-placed Chelsea by earning three points, before their attention changes to an FA Cup fifth-round tie against Derby following Thursday.
