After Manchester United‘s 2-2 draw with Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium, the team will not be back in action until mid-April.
The international break arrives at a challenging time for Michael Carrick and his squad, who are currently third in the Premier League with seven matches remaining.
Meanwhile, Carrick and his team felt slighted when a push on Amad went uncalled by referee Stuart Attwell on Friday night, but the losses for Liverpool and Chelsea the next day have eased the situation.
The club has submitted an official complaint about Attwell’s officiating error during the match, but they hope this won’t affect their performance.
Arsenal and Manchester City are almost certain to secure the top two spots by May, but the battle for the final podium position is tightening.
The men’s team is likely to clinch a spot in next season’s Champions League, and the women’s team, under Marc Skinner, is also performing well.
Currently sitting second in the Women’s Super League, they have a strong chance of finishing in the Champions League qualifying spots.
For those who may not know, the top three teams in the WSL qualify for Europe’s premier competition, and Skinner has recently stated that his team is poised for a significant boost.
This boost comes from the expected return of defender Jayde Riviere from a short injury break.
Riviere, who marked her 50th appearance for the club last September, played in the League Cup final against Chelsea.
She missed the recent trip to West Ham United in the WSL and didn’t participate in their important league win against Everton Women.
Before the 2-1 victory over Everton, Skinner mentioned that Riviere is nearing her return.
“Jayde is on the field today, so hopefully she will be ready for Bayern [on Wednesday],” he said, adding, “The tests went well today. Everyone is a bit tired but ready to play.”
Though she did not play against Everton, it is believed that the 25-year-old will be back for the upcoming match against Bayern Munich.
Melvine Malard secured the win for Manchester United Women against Everton with a stoppage-time goal after Everton equalized just minutes before.
Looking ahead, Manchester United Women will face Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final on April 1.
This marks the second time Skinner’s team will compete at the highest level in Europe, aiming for consecutive seasons in the competition.
Riviere’s potential return is encouraging news for supporters, especially as maintaining squad fitness is crucial in these final weeks of the season.