Ten Hag keeps Højlund and Mount under wraps in aim to avoid injury crisis

Erik ten Hag says he has learned lessons from being forced to select players who were not fully fit last season. The Manchester United manager has no plans to rush back Mason Mount and Rasmus Højlund for Saturday’s trip to Crystal Palace as he aims to avoid a repeat of previous injury crises.

Mount started August’s Community Shield and the first two Premier League matches before being withdrawn at half-time in the defeat at Brighton with a hamstring injury, and Højlund is yet to feature because of a hamstring problem. Mount missed 30 games through injury last season, his first after joining from Chelsea.

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“Careful and top football – you always go to boundaries,” Ten Hag said. “It’s not avoidable but when you have a full squad available then it’s easier to manage the load. When you are in circumstances like last season and there was a need to play, we had to overload them.

“It’s very good news they are back in the pitch, they are back in gym training. We have to decide whether they are fit enough to start but it is very pleasing they are fit and back in the squad. We have many games in this block, so [are] very pleased. We hope we can integrate them in a very careful way.”

On United’s most recent visit to Selhurst Park in May, they were thrashed 4-0 by Oliver Glasner’s team on a bleak night for Ten Hag. “We know the circumstances and you can’t compare this. We didn’t have a fit squad, we had even one or two players they were maybe up to 20% to play. But we had to play them. This time is totally different. We have a fit squad. We definitely have 18 players who are capable to go into this good challenge for us.”

Asked whether a 4-0 defeat could happen again, Ten Hag said: “No, definitely not. It was clear. It was a 4-0 – totally deserved – but Saturday will be different.”