Harry Maguire handed chance to shape Erik ten Hag's Manchester United summer transfer policy

When one door closes, another one opens. Manchester United have been dealt a huge double injury blow this week, but the harsh reality of football is that it creates an opportunity for those in reserve to show just how good they really are.

United fans will be fearing the worst after news Lisandro Martinez won't play again this season, while Raphael Varane is set to be sidelined for 'a few weeks.'

Their loss is a much harder pill to swallow than the two own goals that cost United their comfortable lead in midweek, with the undeniable fear that their season could now derail.

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It is true that any team would miss two players of such immense quality, but the absence is harder felt on a United side whose resurgence this season has been underpinned by their world-class defensive partnership. United can't feel too sorry for themselves now, and the real test of their mentality will be in how they react to such a devastating double blow.

Erik ten Hag will most likely return to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's favoured defensive duo as a short-term fix, and with one of them expected to be sold this summer, there is now a perfect platform for them to prove why they should be the one staying at the club.

Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof have both made clear their desire to be playing regular football at this stage of their careers, and both could look to force a summer exit after dropping down the pecking order this season. They are both good defenders who have had their highs and lows at the club, but their talents have been dwarfed since the establishment of Martinez and Varane as the preferred partnership.

It is a credit to them both that they have