Copyright yardbarker
So far this season, the Carington treatment room has been significantly less busy than previous years, with Manchester United enjoying a relatively clean bill of health. Before the summer break, Ruben Amorim issued everyone who could potentially feature for the senior squad a personalised conditioning plan to help their preparation to return for pre-season training. The aim was to keep the players in shape ready for training to fight back hard after last season’s disastrous 15th place finish, as well as helping to prevent injury throughout the season, which so far, it’s managed to do. However, on 13th August, one of United’s midfielders suffered a devastating injury, being stretchered off and taken immediately to hospital. In United’s Under-21s National League Cup game with Tamworth, promising young defensive midfielder Sekou Kone collided with a member of the opposition whilst clearing a corner. The collision of heads saw Kone fall to the floor, being told to stay down before being stretchered off, ultimately finding that he’d fractured his eye socket. Whilst the Mali Under-17s star was discharged from hospital to recover at home, the youngster has only just returned to team training last month, marking a two-month absence from the pitch. However, tonight saw Travis Binnion tentatively get Sekou Kone back on the pitch, with the midfielder replacing Jayce Fitzgerald in the 90th minute of the Under-21s clash with Notts County. United ultimately won the game 2-0 thanks to goals from Shea Lacey and Jacob Devaney, with Ruben Amorim reportedly taking a keen interest in Lacey, setting up a potential breakthrough into the first team. Kone is understood to be on the same trajectory as United are struggling for talented defensive midfielders after Manuel Ugarte has failed to establish himself as a strong option under Amorim after being bought for Erik ten Hag’s set-up.
