NO HEND TO DEAN’S WOE
Ole is unsure when ill No.1 will return
OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER has no return date for England goalkeeper Dean Henderson nearly a month since he tested positive for Covid.
Solskjaer saw his Manchester United side batter Rafa Benitez’s Everton at Old Trafford in the last warm-up before their Premier League opener against Leeds.
They were also without Jesse Lingard, who has gone into isolation after his own positive test for the virus.
But Henderson (right), who sat out the Euros, is still suffering from the aftereffects. And United boss Solskjaer said: “Dean was positive early on and then he’s negative in his testing. But he has not felt as energised or sharp as he has done.
“He still feels fatigued and the after-effects, you see so many different effects of this virus. He’s still got a few days to rest and then we’ll check up on him.”
The news guarantees David De Gea, who kept a clean sheet against Everton, the start against Leeds in the Saturday lunchtime game but at least Lingard is showing no signs of illness. Solskjaer added: “Jesse feels OK, hopefully it will stay that way. When you get that positive test, you’ve just got to isolate.”
With United players having returned in dribs and drabs since the end of the Euros, Solskjaer will only see new signing Jadon Sancho for the first time when he returns to training tomorrow.
Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane has still not completed a medical and his £34million transfer due to visa delays. It has left the United boss planning for the Leeds visit without either of his new star signings in his starting line-up.
Solskjaer said: “The medical with Raphael has to be done, he’s isolating at the moment. We had to wait for visas and unfortunately that took a few more days than expected.
“Jadon is in Monday and hopefully he’ll be in decent nick.”
Another positive against Everton came in the form of Anthony Martial’s return for the first time since the striker was injured on France duty in March.
Solskjaer said: “These were his first 45 minutes but he’s been training well with us. As any player who has been out for a while, he needs more sharpness, needs more work.”
United romped to victory against an Everton side without Dominic Calvert-lewin and Richarlison.
The home side hit three goals inside the opening half-hour, the first from a horrendous Jordan Pickford error.
England’s No.1 fumbled Lucas Digne’s back header on seven minutes to allow Mason Greenwood to roll the ball into an empty net.
Harry Maguire powered in from Luke Shaw’s corner, before Bruno Fernandes scored direct from a 20-yard free-kick after 28 minutes.
Sub Diogo Dalot completed the rout late on with a header.