Manchester United Defender Matthijs de Ligt Starts On-Field Recovery After Long Back Injury

Apr 24, 2026, 15:04

Introduction

Manchester United defender Matthijs de Ligt has started individual training on grass as part of his recovery from a back injury that has kept him from playing since late November. The Dutch centre-back has not played under new head coach Michael Carrick and remains unavailable for the upcoming Premier League match against Brentford.

Main Body

De Ligt suffered the injury during a 2-1 victory at Crystal Palace on 30 November and has not been in matchday squads since then. His recovery has progressed to outdoor work at the club's Carrington training base, where he was seen doing light individual exercises under the supervision of medical staff. The defender posted images of his session on social media with the caption 'Working hard, getting closer', showing his focus on returning to full fitness. Carrick earlier acknowledged that the injury was complex, describing it as 'difficult' and saying he was not sure whether de Ligt would play again before the end of the season. The head coach noted that the player was following a special treatment plan involving gym-based exercises and had not yet started training on grass at that time. In the latest update, Carrick has not given a specific date for de Ligt's return to competitive matches. Furthermore, the club provided updates on several other players. Lisandro Martinez will miss the Brentford match because of suspension, while Harry Maguire will return after serving a two-game ban. Leny Yoro, who missed the previous win over Chelsea with a minor injury, is being evaluated and might be available, though Carrick stated that his participation is not yet certain. Patrick Dorgu is continuing his recovery from a hamstring problem and is making progress to return to team training. Carrick said the overall injury situation is stable, with only small injuries and minor problems coming from the Chelsea match.

Conclusion

At present, de Ligt's return date is still unknown, but his move to outdoor training shows a positive step in his recovery. Manchester United will face Brentford without him, although the return of Harry Maguire from suspension gives some defensive strength.

Vocabulary Learning

acknowledged (v.)
to accept that something is true承認；確認
Example:Carrick earlier acknowledged that the injury was complex.
complex (adj.)
difficult to understand or deal with複雜的
Example:Carrick earlier acknowledged that the injury was complex.
evaluated (v.)
to judge the value or condition of something評估；評價
Example:Leny Yoro, who missed the previous win over Chelsea with a minor injury, is being evaluated and might be available.
supervision (n.)
the act of watching someone to make sure they do something correctly監督；監管
Example:He was seen doing light individual exercises under the supervision of medical staff.
suspension (n.)
a punishment in which a player is not allowed to play for a period停賽；暫停
Example:Lisandro Martinez will miss the Brentford match because of suspension.

Sentence Learning

Manchester United defender Matthijs de Ligt has started individual training on grass as part of his recovery from a back injury that has kept him from playing since late November.
Relative clause: 'that has kept him from playing' modifies 'back injury'. This structure adds detail without starting a new sentence, improving clarity.關係從句：'that has kept him from playing' 修飾 'back injury'。此結構無需另起新句即可添加細節，提高清晰度。
His recovery has progressed to outdoor work at the club's Carrington training base, where he was seen doing light individual exercises under the supervision of medical staff.
Passive voice ('was seen') focuses on the action rather than the observer. Also, relative clause 'where he was seen' provides location context.被動語態（'was seen'）強調動作而非觀察者。此外，關係從句 'where he was seen' 提供地點背景。
Furthermore, the club provided updates on several other players.
Linking word 'Furthermore' signals additional information, helping to organize ideas in a sequence.連接詞 'Furthermore' 表示附加信息，有助於按順序組織想法。
Leny Yoro, who missed the previous win over Chelsea with a minor injury, is being evaluated and might be available, though Carrick stated that his participation is not yet certain.
Relative clause 'who missed' describes Leny Yoro. Passive voice 'is being evaluated' emphasizes the process. Linking word 'though' introduces a contrast.關係從句 'who missed' 描述 Leny Yoro。被動語態 'is being evaluated' 強調過程。連接詞 'though' 引入對比。
Manchester United will face Brentford without him, although the return of Harry Maguire from suspension gives some defensive strength.
Linking word 'although' shows contrast between two facts: missing de Ligt but gaining Maguire. It helps express a balanced view.連接詞 'although' 顯示兩個事實之間的對比：缺少迪歷特但獲得馬奎爾。它有助於表達平衡的觀點。