Ole Gunnar Solskjaer joked Manchester United first-team coach Michael Carrick could be in line for his return to the pitch amid the club’s worsening injury crisis.
United drew 0-0 with Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday, a match that was marred by four first-half injuries.
Three of those were suffered by United players, as Ander Herrera, Juan Mata and the former Chelsea man’s replacement Jesse Lingard were all forced off at Old Trafford.
On top of those, Marcus Rashford also struggled with a knock for most of the match, while they lost Nemanja Matic in the build-up.
Herrera had to be taken off with an apparent hamstring injury after he went down less than 20 minutes into the game, with Mata following shortly afterwards with an ankle problem and being replaced by Lingard.
But things got worse for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team before the end of the half as Lingard had to go off just before half-time as it appeared he had been rushed back from injury, allowing Alexis Sanchez to step in.
It is the first time a Premier League team have had to make all of their substitutions before half-time since Burnley were forced to do so in January 2015.
Injuries meant United finished with a midfield of Paul Pogba, Scott McTominay and Andreas Pereira, and Solskjaer suggested Carrick – who called time on his playing career at the end of last season – could get a game if the situation worsens.
“Michael might be putting his boots on,” Solskjaer quipped to MUTV. “It’s not as bad as needing me yet, but we’ll be all right.”
United are next in action on Wednesday when they travel to Crystal Palace.