Maybe, just maybe, some lessons have been learned at Manchester United.
With the confirmation that Lisandro Martinez could miss another month of action after suffering a calf strain during his long-awaited and short-lived comeback against Brentford on Saturday night – the Argentine has barely kicked a ball all season long – Erik ten Hag appears determined to ensure that history does not repeat itself.
Mason Mount is another who has endured an injury-hit campaign. The £55 million summer signing has played only 25 minutes of football since mid-November. And the under-fire Manchester United boss is understandably wary of throwing Mount back into the starting XI before he is ready as Ten Hag looks to avoid a Martinez-style setback.
Of course, Ten Hag could argue he was forced to bring Martinez off the bench at Brentford, with Raphael Varane and Victor Lindelof struggling. But, in hindsight, maybe he would have been better off putting his faith in young Willy Kambwala rather than chucking the World Cup winner into the heat of the action.
Manchester United travel to Chelsea this week
“(Mount) is a fantastic football player,” Ten Hag told Manchester Evening News before Thursday’s clash with the midfielder’s former employers Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
“But it’s important first that he is getting and keeping fit because he has had three injuries.”
Ten Hag’s comments suggest that Mount – like against Brentford when he came off the bench to score his first United goal in stoppage time – will be restricted to a role as an impact sub as he continues to build up his fitness after four months on the sidelines.
“Like with Licha, another injury, you want to avoid,” the Dutchman adds. “And we have to do this carefully. The first objective is to keep him fit. Then he can benefit and contribute to the team like he did on Saturday, when he had a big impact.”
Will Mason Mount feature at Stamford Bridge?
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Mount has only made 14 appearances for Man United. That long-running calf issue kept him out of December’s clash between United and Chelsea at Old Trafford, a game in which Scott McTominay scored one of a number of dramatic late winners in a season full of them for the Carrington graduate.
Should United avoid a shock against Coventry City – and should Chelsea knock out holders Man City – Thursday night’s clash could be something of a dress rehearsal for this year’s FA Cup final too.
“It’s a tough competition,” Ten Hag says of Chelsea, who have had their own injury issues of late. “It’s very tight and also a lot about which players are available and not. When you are on the right side of the line, you can have a successful season.
“But, when on the wrong side, you can have a much more difficult season.
“(Chelsea) have a fantastic team, fantastic players and play very good football. They can beat anyone and have shown (that) in this league.”