Man Utd use all three subs in injury nightmare first half vs Liverpool

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Tom Doyle24 February 2019

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was forced to use all three of his Manchester United substitutes during a nightmare first half against Liverpool on Sunday.

United suffered a triple injury blow during the first half of their Premier League clash against Liverpool at Old Trafford as Ander Herrera, Juan Mata and Jesse Lingard all had to be replaced.

Liverpool were also forced into an early change of their own as Daniel Sturridge came on for Roberto Firmino after 30 minutes as the Brazilian forward appeared to suffer an ankle twist.

With Nemanja Matic ruled out before the match due to a "nasty" injury in training, Scott McTominay started alongside Paul Pogba and Herrera in a three-man midfield.

Unfortunately for Herrera and interim manager Solskjaer, Herrera suffered what appeared to be a hamstring injury and had to be replaced after just 21 minutes, with Andreas Pereira on in his place.

Worse was to come for United as playmaker Mata was also forced off after 25 minutes, with Jesse Lingard - only just back from an injury problem himself - coming on with Solskjaer forced into two of his three available subs with just over half of the first half played.

REUTERS

However, the sub was then subbed as Lingard appeared to suffer a recurrence of his hamstring injury with Alexis Sanchez coming on, leaving United with no subs for the second half.

Marcus Rashford also appeared to be in some discomfort throughout the half, with the young forward struggling and at times placing his hands on his knees to rest up.

Firmino's enforced replacement also disrupted the flow of a game which Liverpool had dominated up until then.

AFP/Getty Images

The injury to Herrera will be particularly concerning to Solskjaer with the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie against PSG.

With Pogba suspended and Matic in a race against time to return from injury, Solskjaer could feasibly be without his three first-choice midfielders as United bid to overturn a 2-0 deficit in Paris.

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