Bayindir stands by for now and in the new year

WHEN Andre Onana decided to come out of international retirement, Manchester United had January circled in the calendar as a month that would present them with a headache, with the Africa Cup of Nations robbing them of their No. 1 goalkeeper.

- TYRONE MARSHALL

But you could say it's typical of United's misfortune this season that Onana ending his Cameroon exile might actually become problematic for Erik ten Hag earlier than expected.

He came off with less than 10 minutes remaining of his country's World Cup qualifying win against Mauritius on Friday.

Reports in Cameroon have suggested an adductor injury was the cause of Onana's discomfort and the 27-year-old will now be assessed before the qualifier with Libya on Tuesday.

If he's unable to play in that game then he will return to United and will be a fitness doubt for the Premier League trip to Everton at the start of a demanding run for Ten Hag's side. They face the Toffees, Galatasaray and Newcastle away next week and also play Chelsea and Bayern Munich at Old Trafford and Liverpool at Anfield in the next month.

Ten Hag and his staff will be keeping their fingers crossed that Onana is fit for that crucial run of games.