Manchester United have been handed a potential boost ahead of the FA Community Shield against Manchester City on Saturday, with Pep Guardiola set to be without four key players for the game.
The quartet of Rodri, John Stones, Phil Foden and Kyle Walker are all yet to start their pre-season training and are expected to sit out of the game, according to the Evening Standard.
They were all involved in the final of the European Championship last month, with Spain edging England out to win the competition, and Man City gave them an extended break as a result.
Man United did not have to bother about that, and while Lisandro Martinez and Alejandro Garnacho were also involved in the Copa America final with Argentina, winning the competition, the duo have returned to training and could be part of the squad to face Man City.
They did not join their teammates on the pre-season tour of the United States but resumed to the Carrington training base alongside the likes of Bruno Fernandes and Joshua Zirkzee.
Man City also have players in a similar situation as Kevin De Bruyne, Jeremy Doku, Bernardo Silva, Manuel Akanji, Ruben Dias, Matheus Nunes and Savinho have all not featured during pre-season.
However, the nature of the Community Shield (often dubbed a glorified friendly) should mean they are in contention to feature.
Fortunately for them, Ederson, Erling Haaland and Rico Lewis are all in contention after suffering minor issues on their pre-season tour, but being without Rodri, Stones, Foden and Walker will be considered a blow.
Man United will smell blood and could pounce, and manager Erik ten Hag will hope his men begin 2024-25 with a bang.
The Red Devils defeated their city rivals in the final of the FA Cup in their last game of last season and will fancy their chances of getting the better of them again.
