Squad depth issues, unfamiliar staff and more - why Manchester United are suffering so many injuries

With kick-off moments away at Old Trafford, late arrivals were shuffling down the row to take their seat. And that was just in the directors' box.

Mason Mount, Luke Shaw, Tom Heaton and Rasmus Hojlund, all clad in Manchester United tracksuits and all injured, watched on from the back row.

At one point under Louis van Gaal, United had 17 injuries to contend with. The fitness coach Raymond Verheijen, who would become the scourge of Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp, felt Van Gaal was over-training the players.

Van Gaal conceded that was true and modified the intensity of his sessions, adding more recovery days to United's schedule.

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United are a much more intense team under Erik ten Hag than Van Gaal. United's sessions were so sedate fringe players turned out for the Under-21s for meaningful minutes.

Ten Hag is not one of Van Gaal's disciples and recoils at any comparisons drawn between the pair. Yet there are alarming parallels with the injury crises under Van Gaal and United's recent spate of injuries: since pre-season, United have recorded ten injuries to first-team squad members.

Tyrell Malacia reported back at Carrington injured, Amad and Kobbie Mainoo left New Jersey and Houston on crutches, Lisandro Martinez sustained an ankle injury against Wolves, Tom Heaton is sidelined with a calf injury, Luke Shaw is out for months with a muscular injury, Mason Mount won't be back until next month, Raphael Varane withdrew at half-time against Wolves and Harry Maguire and Scott McTominay have missed matches with a "small issue".

That is without mentioning Rasmus Hojlund, whom United still signed despite his sustaining a stress fracture of the back in training with