Getting Injured Players Back More Important Than January Signings for Man United

On the eve of the January transfer window, Louis van Gaal had some welcome news for Manchester United fans. Not that he had signed the next expensive star. Something even better.

Speaking ahead of United's trip to Stoke on New Year's Day, the Dutchman declared that his injury list is shortening.

He told the Manchester Evening News his returning players might not make the game at the Britannia Stadium. But they are returning nonetheless.

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Herrera trained today for the first time with us but, yes, they don’t have match rhythm.

Januzaj has also trained two training sessions with us, but he was ill and you have to recover from your illness, not from your tiredness. Maybe it’s worse to recover from illness.

There are players coming back, we have seen the first signs of that in the last two games with Rafael, Chris Smalling and Luke Shaw.

They don't have any match rhythm and that's my problem, it's the case with a few players. We played three or four games in the space of a week, so we need these players now more than ever. It's now difficult for me to select the team.

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Nothing has had a bigger effect on United's season so far than injuries. There are only a handful of players who have made it through the first five months unscathed. 

It's prevented Van Gaal from fielding his strongest XI in any of his 19 Premier League games. It's also forced him to use 24 different centre-back combinations, Phil Jones, Chris Smalling and Luke Shaw becoming the latest after being thrown together for the final 14 minutes at Tottenham.

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There has been no continuity in Van Gaal's team selections. It's impossible when, earlier in the season, it seemed United couldn't get through one game without someone else hobbling off.

There will be some fans—not all it, must be said—who will be desperate to see new additions arrive in January. But getting the players already at Old Trafford fit is even more important.

Being able to pick a settled defence should be a priority. It's an area of the team that thrives on stability, and it's remarkable United still have one of the best defensive records in the league considering the changes Van Gaal has had to make.

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Antonio Valencia and Ashley Young have performed admirably as wing-backs, but Rafael and Luke Shaw offer a more natural fit. United looked in desperate need of Angel Di Maria's pace and running at Tottenham.

Van Gaal can at least see light at the end of the tunnel. And he will hope he's not as unlucky in the second half of the season as he has been in the first.

Returning players to the first team is perhaps not as glamorous as unveiling a brand new signing. But it's just as important. Especially for United.