Before Manchester United's Sunday afternoon Premier League journey to Liverpool, Raphael Varane will undergo a late fitness test, according to the Mirror.
The 29-year-old former international for France is thought to have a leg complaint and will need to be evaluated the morning of the contest. If Varane is unable to play, Erik ten Hag is anticipated to start Harry Maguire, with Lisandro Martinez likely to remain at left center-back.
At Anfield, the Red Devils face their fiercest foes, and much is on the line. Ten Hag's team has fallen 14 points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal in the race for the title and must use their two games remaining wisely if they want to maintain their tenuous aspirations.
Jurgen Klopp's side, on the other hand, is currently sixth in the standings, six points behind Spurs with two outstanding games. The chance that awaits Jurgen Klopp's Champions League contenders is clear to them, but a defeat on Sunday would be a serious setback.
According to the Daily Mail, Raphael Varane has recently complained of leg discomfort. Last Sunday at Wembley, he began and finished United's victory over Newcastle in the Carabao Cup final, but as a late substitute on Wednesday night, he only appeared for one minute of that team's FA Cup victory over West Ham at Old Trafford.
Varane and Martinez are Erik Ten Hag's go-to right and left center-back combinations. Varane's apparent replacements are club captain Harry Maguire or fellow defender Victor Lindelof because the Dutchman prefers his right-center-back to be right-footed.
"It is my way of playing, or our way, and it is better," explained Ten Hag after the West Ham game. "I prefer to have a player with a lot of initiative [at right-centre-back] and when you are left-footed you have better angles [at left-centre-back]."
Given that his squad currently plays twice weekly, Ten Hag rotates his defense frequently to keep everyone fresh. Varane will therefore not be put on the bench, even though it is always advantageous to have a player of the Frenchman's caliber accessible.
Raphael Varane, who won the World Cup with France and four Champions League titles with Real Madrid, is United's most seasoned center-back. When United convinced the defender to leave Spain in the summer of, it was quite a triumph.
Raphael Varane has a poor track record with injuries. He played in just 22 Premier League games the previous season and recently announced his comparatively early retirement from international football. The erstwhile star of Lens, who earned 93 senior caps for his nation, will be sorely missed in France.
"I gave everything, physically and mentally," said Varane during an interview with Canal+ shortly after confirming his international retirement. "But the very highest level is like a washing machine, you play all the time and you never stop."
"We have overloaded schedules and play non-stop. Right now, I feel like I'm suffocating and that [Varane] the player is gobbling up [Varane] the man," the 29 -year-old explained.
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