Paddy McNair Injury Will Leave Man Utd Sweating over Evans, Jones and Smalling

For Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal, the current international break was supposed to offer a respite to his injury-ravaged squad that had managed to scrape six points off West Ham and Everton in their last two games.

The Dutchman is no doubt welcoming the lay off, what with defenders Johnny Evans, Phil Jones, Chris Smalling and Luke Shaw and midfielders Ander Herrera, Jesse Lingard, Michael Carrick and Ashley Young all sidelined through injury.

Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

And he would have had October 20 circled on the calendar, not only because it represented United’s next match but also the possible return date for at least five of his players.

He might have dared to be so optimistic.

“I told my players, ‘We are not playing well but we are fourth in the table. So what will happen when we do play well?’” he remarked on Sunday, as per the BBC.

The October 20 trip to West Bromwich Albion would have been their opportunity to provide an answer—it still might. Only now they’ll go into the contest with another body down, with Paddy McNair set to miss up to three weeks with a hamstring problem, according to the Daily Star.

McNair, whose promotion from the under-21s had been expedited due to a rash of injuries at the centre-back position, had impressed in the West Ham and Everton victories, and his performances had caught the attention of Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill.

The 19-year-old’s senior international debut will now be delayed, and if he doesn’t suffer a setback as he makes his recovery, he’ll only be available for selection when United host Chelsea in their final match of the month.

By then, Van Gaal will hope to have Evans, Jones and Smalling back in the fold, although a healthy McNair might have pushed the trio to improve their displays and earn their playing time.

It’s something the former Netherlands boss hinted at following the Everton win, when he told the Daily Mail the returning trio merely gave him more choices.

“Paddy McNair is doing great in my opinion,” he said. Romelu Lukaku would concur.

McNair kept the powerful Everton striker in his back pocket throughout Sunday’s contest, over which he contributed three interceptions on the right-hand side of the defensive third, made five clearances within the 18-yard box and blocked two passes and one cross (statistics courtesy Squawka).

Courtesy Squawka

He also beat Lukaku to a crucial header in the 35th minute and misplaced just three of his passes on the day. At no point late in the match did the growing Everton pressure seem to faze him; he played better as the tension mounted.

Naturally, the returns of Evans, Jones and Smalling will restore a much-needed element of depth to United’s defense, although none of the three had particularly impressed before going down to injury.

McNair, meanwhile, is lost for the time being—as is his calm, steadying influence on a defense that had lacked either characteristic before his insertion.

Just when it looked as though the trouble had lifted, United have been made to sweat once again.