TOPSHOT - Manchester City's Norwegian striker Erling Haaland (L) vies with Manchester United's French defender Raphael Varane (R) during the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on October 2, 2022. - RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by Lindsey Parnaby / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by LINDSEY PARNABY/AFP via Getty Images)
Losing 6-3 to Manchester City was bad enough but seeing Raphael Varane go off injured in the derby was an additional blow.
The one thing I wanted to avoid during the international break was another injury to Varane. He managed that whilst away with France, but it only took 40 minutes before we saw him hobble off the pitch again.
Varane, 29, appeared to twist his ankle when blocking a shot from the edge of the penalty area.
This left Erik ten Hag with no other choice but to replace the World Cup winner with Victor Lindelof at the heart of defence. However, Varane did attempt to play on but the manager decided not to risk him as City held a four-goal lead.
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Ten Hag shared an update on Varane’s injury after the match and said that he doesn’t believe it is very serious.
“I don’t think so, that he would have carried on [if the scoreline would have been closer],” Ten Hag told club media via ManUtd.com.
“But you get him off because when you are 4-0 down, you don’t want to take a risk to get a bigger injury. But I think it’s that big, the injury, that he couldn’t carry on.”
It’s crucial for our season that Varane doesn’t miss many games. I hate to think how we would cope defensively if he was to miss several games because Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof are significant downgrades.
This is how it feels to be so reliant on an injury prone player.