One of the biggest positives so far this season for Manchester United has been the performance of their defensive unit, especially after leaking goals last season.
Lisandro Martinez‘s arrival has certainly changed things and his no-nonsense style has endeared him to the United faithful. One player who has benefited from the Argentines’s arrival has been Raphael Varane.
Last season, a lack of proper pre-season had meant injuries galore for the Frenchman and he hardly got the chance to build up consistency.
Varane passed fit
This season, the World Cup winner was put on a specific routine and that served him well and he was class personified for United.
However, things turned sour during the Chelsea game as Varane had to leave the field in tears after suffering a thigh injury.
🇫🇷 @RaphaelVarane has been selected in France’s #FIFAWorldCup squad 👊
Congratulations, Rapha! #MUFC
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) November 9, 2022
His extreme reaction seemed to suggest that the former Real Madrid star was afraid he would not make it in time to represent the nation in Qatar.
The United player even went to France to undergo his treatment at Clairefontaine to have the best possible chance of making the cut for the World Cup.
After being properly assessed by the national team’s doctors, the belief that the 29-year-old would be fit for the quadrennial showpiece started growing and that has been confirmed after Didier Deschamps picked his squad.
Varane has been passed fit enough to be on the plane and it will be great news for the centre-back especially after the scenes witnessed during the Chelsea game.
Martial misses out
United will be hoping Varane can return from the World Cup with renewed confidence and without further injury hiccups as he is crucial to United’s chances this season.
One United player who missed the chance to make it to Qatar is Anthony Martial. His pre-season form had suggested a comeback could be on the cards.
But a glut of injuries suffered during the course of the season which has restricted the former Monaco starlet to only one start played a key role behind Deschamps’ reasoning.
Former Red Paul Pogba has also not made the cut after suffering injury during pre-season which has meant he has been unable to make his second debut for Juventus since moving to Italy in the summer.
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