Man United handed major injury boost ahead of Europa League clash with Lyon

Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo has been spotted back in training as the Red Devils prepare for their crucial Europa League quarter-final tie against Lyon.

United will face Lyon at Parc Olympique Lyonnais on Thursday for the first leg of the quarter-final, and the return of Mainoo to training comes as a major boost for manager Ruben Amorim, with the midfielder potentially available for selection.

Mainoo’s last appearance came on February 7 against Leicester City in the FA Cup.

The 19-year-old suffered a muscular injury in training before United’s clash with Tottenham Hotspur, which has kept him sidelined since then.

Amorim confirmed ahead of last weekend’s Manchester derby that Mainoo had resumed training and would be assessed before the City match.

Kobbie Mainoo is back in training this morning. He lasted played against Leicester on February 7 #mufc pic.twitter.com/Vch0krKIA0
— Steven Railston (@StevenRailston) April 9, 2025

While he was not included in the squad for Sunday’s game, his participation in Wednesday’s session ahead of the Lyon fixture indicates he could be in line for a return to the first-team fold.

In addition to Mainoo, United were without Matthijs de Ligt for the derby.

The Dutch defender injured his ankle during the team’s clash with Nottingham Forest and was seen limping off the pitch at the City Ground.

There had been hope he could recover in time for Thursday’s match, but de Ligt was absent from training and looks unlikely to feature in Lyon.

Ayden Heaven, who was stretchered off with an injury during the Leicester match on March 16, was also not part of Wednesday’s session.

Heaven had been wearing a protective boot following the injury, and his absence further depletes United’s defensive options. Midfielder Toby Collyer, who has picked up a knock, also missed training and will be assessed in the coming days.

Jonny Evans, who has been sidelined with a muscle issue, has not played since United’s Carabao Cup defeat to Tottenham in December.

Amad, who suffered an ankle injury in training earlier this year, remains unavailable for selection as well.

The Europa League represents Manchester United’s best chance of securing silverware this season. A victory in the competition would also guarantee them automatic entry into the 2025/2026 Champions League group stage.

Lyon, who advanced to the quarter-finals with a dominant 7-1 aggregate win over FCSB, are fifth in Ligue 1.

They head into Thursday’s clash on the back of a 2-1 win against Lille in their domestic league.