Man Utd boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer: "He has done his ligament in the knee probably"
Thursday 26 December 2019 21:58, UK
Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay is likely to miss Saturday's trip to Burnley after suffering suspected knee ligament damage.
McTominay was brought off at half-time during Thursday's 4-1 win over Newcastle - replaced by Paul Pogba, playing his second game back from injury - and was later pictured leaving Old Trafford on crutches.
"He has done his ligament in the knee probably," United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said following the Boxing Day win.
"I don't know how bad it is. He has got the biggest heart of the lot and he played until half-time. We will have to find out tomorrow to see how it is."
McTominay's injury will worry Solskjaer as the last time United were without the Scotland international they went on a three-game winless run across all competitions (Sheffield United, Astana, Aston Villa).
Pogba's return will be a big boost for United, with the Frenchman likely to take up McTominay's position next to Fred in the midfield at Turf Moor.
"It's still a bit early for him, he has been out for a long time but he has to get used to being back on a big pitch," Solskjaer said on Pogba. "We have had some five-a-side but not with 21 other men on the pitch. He will get better and better."
Nemanja Matic is another potential option for Solskjaer in midfield. The Serbia international has featured twice in December - against AZ Alkmaar and Colchester United - after two months out through injury.
Few could have foreseen these teams being separated by goal difference over Christmas, yet Steve Bruce's Newcastle side have confounded the doubters during a season in which his former side have gone from the sublime to the ridiculous.
But on Boxing Day, Manchester United were the beneficiaries of defensive errors as they recorded a first Premier League victory in three games to move up to seventh.
Mason Greenwood was the first of those, as he pounced on a poor pass by Fabian Schar to net his eighth goal in all competitions this season - the only teenager with more in Europe's big five leagues is Jadon Sancho with 12.
"Mason is a great striker of the ball," Solskjaer added. "You know he is going to hit the target more times than not. He is so unfazed by whatever happens.
"The three of them (strikers) are a handful when we can get the space we did here. These boys will never give up, this club knows that towards the end we can nick a point or even three from losing positions."
Conversely, Newcastle have lost more Premier League Boxing Day games than any other side (14), but their latest reverse owed plenty to their slack use of the ball, with two goals coming from individual errors.
Newcastle boss Bruce said: "When you come here the one thing you can't do is gift Manchester United. I know it's Christmas, but we gave away more goals in half an hour than we have in three months.
"I don't think United can believe it. It's a harsh lesson for us that you cannot make the mistakes we have just made. We stuck at it, but it was a tough afternoon for us."
Analysis from Sky Sports' Peter Smith...
Manchester United enjoyed over 76 per cent possession in the second period, turning the game into a procession and never gave Newcastle a sniff of getting back into the match.
It was commanding, confident stuff, with standout highlights for United's exciting young attackers.
Coupled with Chelsea's defeat at home to Southampton, the win means Manchester United are now just four points off the Champions League places, with Burnley up next.
Inconsistency has dogged Solskjaer's side this season - but he will hope to see more of the same on Saturday to surge into the second half of the season.
Manchester United travel to face Burnley at Turf Moor on Saturday; kick-off at 7.45pm. Newcastle host Everton on the same day (3pm).
