It's just taking it somewhat easy so far this season although when you look at the amount of players who are on the sidelines, it ain't great.
Last season, the major reason for United having a very poor campaign was due to the number of injuries the club picked up throughout and even before the season started.
Considering we had 70+ different injuries and illnesses one would've thought that that was a one-off and something of that sort was highly unlikely again.
However, while it may not be as severe this year (yet) looking at how many absences we've had and how many more there have been in the last week, it will still concern manager Erik ten Hag, who is on thin ice when it comes to his future, as he will need all the help and players available as he can get.
In the last few days, the club have confirmed that Kobbie Mainoo, Alejandro Garnacho, Amad and Noussair Mazraoui will all miss these October internationals due to injuries and illnesses.
No word has come out on how serious their issues are but the fact that there are issues at all is worrying.
Mainoo's injury is unknown nor are we aware of when he will return. Garnacho has a problem with his knee and was wearing a knee brace during the draw at Villa. He is expected to be available for Brentford next Saturday. Amad withdrew from Ivory Coast duties because of an illness while Mazraoui had a minor precautionary corrective procedure after he had palpitations.
While that may sound very serious, it isn't although the Moroccan is rumored to be out for a "few weeks." He along with Dalot are our only available full-backs so if Mazraoui were to be out even for a little, ten Hag is going to have to get creative at full-back. We saw Lindelof come on at RB on Sunday which indicates that that may be the way the manager will go. He could also use young Harry Amass at LB and move Dalot to his preferred right although ten Hag has been reluctant to include Amass in any of the 10 matchday squads.
These four additional injuries are on top of Harry Maguire who has a foot problem after he was taken off at halftime in last Sunday's 0-0 draw; Mason Mount had a head injury and knock he picked up in the defeat to Spurs which was almost two weeks ago and hasn't featured since; and then we have the likes of Leny Yoro, Tyrell Malacia and Luke Shaw who have been long-term absentees.
But some of these injuries and injuries to other players didn't come during the season. Yoro and Rasmus Hojlund both got injured during pre-season. While Hojlund has returned, he did only come back three weeks ago after making a substitute appearance in the 0-0 draw at Palace. That was game 5 of the league campaign.
Yoro hasn't featured at all this season after fracturing his metatarsal against Arsenal in July. He is expected back in November.
Sending Shaw to play for England in the Euros was stupid by everyone as he hadn't played for United since February before making the starting XI for his country in the latter stages of EURO2024. He came back and we all thought we'd have a fit and fresh Luke Shaw for the new campaign after having missed most of last season with three separate problems.
We were wrong.
His potential return could be Brentford but who knows with him.
Malacia has been MIA since the 22/23 season and I don't think we'll be seeing him any time soon.
Victor Lindelof also just returned after a toe problem that kept him out until the draw at Villa Park which were his first minutes for the club since coming on for only a minute in the FA Cup final back in May.
I'm not sure why the medical department wasn't an area that was heavily looked at in the summer. Given the injuries we've had last season and just overall fitness problems for a long time, it should've been an area where the club should've improved.
Sir Dave Brailsford reportedly conducted a strategic review of the club when INEOS acquired their 27% of United so why wasn't this department a red flag?
As I said, injuries played a massive part in why we had a terrible 23/24 and considering the issues we've already had and no doubt will have in the future, injuries could derail another season.
United and ten Hag have already begun this campaign worse than any other under the Dutchman so the last thing he (and we) would want is for more injuries.
Background Image: Kobbie Mainoo v Aston Villa | Image via Manchester United official X (@ManUtd)