Manchester United's "Bale" may miss the Leeds United match! Recovery is slower than expected, with the goal now shifted to avoiding a season-ending injury.

The recovery of Manchester United's left-wing stalwart Patrick Doku from his injury has not progressed as ideally as hoped. According to his own expectations, he should have already returned to action and participated in Denmark's UEFA World Cup qualifying playoff matches. However, the 21-year-old Doku was not included in the squad and can only stay in Manchester, wishing his teammates success in defeating Czech Republic to secure one of the final six tickets to the North American World Cup.

While the Danish national team is training, Doku remains at Manchester United's Carrington training ground for strength and conditioning workouts. Reports indicate he has been cleared to return to the pitch for light exercises, typically just jogging. This marks a key milestone in his injury recovery, though there remains a considerable distance before he can truly return to competitive play.

Based on experience, after a player resumes training on grass, it generally takes one to four weeks before they can return to matches. Doku's issue involves the hamstring, a particularly tricky area; if not handled properly, the problem could worsen and persistently affect the player's long-term development.

Therefore, Manchester United will not rush Doku back onto the field. He has been assigned to gym workouts in recent weeks to maintain his fitness, and coaches are very satisfied with his efforts. It is reported that Doku's target has been adjusted to returning before the end of this season. Manchester United will host Leeds United on April 13th, but for Doku, who has been out of action for a long time, participating in that match may be too soon.

Manchester United will handle Doku's injury cautiously. Recently, the club has suffered the blow of two young players being ruled out for the season. Among them, forward Bendito Mantato, hailed as "the Red Devils' Saka," will not be able to play any further matches this season due to an ankle injury. Mantato came on as a substitute in Manchester United U21's match against Chelsea but unfortunately sustained a serious injury, now requiring a protective boot and will only return next season.

Additionally, Kai Rooney, son of Wayne Rooney, also suffered a season-ending injury after scoring for both the U16 and U18 teams on the same day. Carrick, a friend of Rooney, will therefore be even more cautious about the existing injuries in the first-team squad—besides Doku, also concerning De Ligt and Lisandro Martínez. After all, Doku is nicknamed "Manchester United's Bale," and Bale's career was plagued by injuries.

Lisandro Martínez is considered to have a chance of returning for Manchester United's match against Leeds United, replacing Maguire who is suspended due to a red card. However, if caution is prioritized, Carrick may not start him immediately. In that case, 19-year-old English center-back Eden Haven could benefit, partnering with Lenny Yoro as the main starters. Haven has never started under Carrick, but he scored a header in a match for England's youth national team.

The gap between Manchester United's two matches spans 24 days, setting the longest record for a normal season match interval from Queen Victoria's reign to the present. The last time they waited so long without a game was from February 2 to March 2, 1895, when the English top league was interrupted due to the FA Cup.

After the international break ends, Manchester United will conduct a four-day training camp in Ireland from April 6th to 10th. Carrick is expected to provide the latest update on Doku's injury in the pre-Leeds United press conference, but that conference has been postponed. The Premier League typically requires managers to conclude press conferences by 1:30 PM on Friday before a match, but Manchester United will be training in Ireland from Monday to Thursday that week, resting on Friday, so they have requested to meet English media only on Saturday.

The Premier League has granted permission, as they also prefer Carrick to conduct media activities at Carrington rather than in Ireland. Manchester United's match is scheduled for Monday, so timing-wise it is entirely feasible.