Now Varane will miss derby, Chelsea and Arsenal
RAPHAEL VARANE will miss the Manchester derby at Old Trafford this weekend and will be out of action for a month. Varane suffered a hamstring injury in Manchester United’s draw with Atalanta in the Champions League on Tuesday in only his second game back after recovering from a groin problem. The former Real Madrid defender had scans yesterday and will now miss Saturday’s derby clash with Manchester City as well as the games against Watford, Villarreal, Chelsea and Arsenal after the international break. That is a major blow for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer — United leaked 11 goals in three games during Varane’s recent absence. Solskjaer could also be without Victor Lindelof against City after he missed the Atalanta game through injury. That would deprive United of two of the back three who kept a clean sheet at Tottenham last weekend. The United boss may have to change the 3-4-1-2 formation he started with against Spurs and Atalanta, although Luke Shaw could be used as a centre back alongside Harry Maguire and Eric Bailly. Shaw responded to United staying top of the group with a late equaliser in Bergamo by reminding his team-mates that they were in a similar position last season but dropped into the Europa League after losing their last two games to PSG and RB Leipzig. ‘We don’t want to be in that situation again,’ said Shaw. ‘We need to take charge. We can’t relax just because we beat Spurs 3-0 and got an OK point in Italy, we need to keep improving.’ United winger Tahith Chong’s loan spell at Birmingham has been cut short after he had surgery on a thigh tendon problem that will keep him out for up to five months.