Dan Gore returns to Carrington for treatment as Giggs watches United U19s fall to Como

Manchester United loanee Dan Gore has spent the past fortnight back at Carrington receiving treatment for a minor injury sustained during his season-long loan spell at Luton Town, with the midfielder sidelined for League One fixtures against Wycombe, MK Dons and Barnsley. He has not been recalled from the loan and is expected to return to action imminently.

Gore made an immediate impression at Luton after signing on deadline day, quickly establishing himself as a starter under manager Jack Wilshere. The former Arsenal midfielder has been effusive in his praise of the youngster.

“Dan’s been top. He’s aggressive, he’s tenacious, he wants to get into duels, but he’s also got quality,” Wilshere said before the injury. “He gives us something a little bit different in midfield. He’s got better and better, and I think there’s more to come from him the more we work with him.”

On the same day as the first-team faced Como in a friendly at Old Trafford, United’s Under-19s were beaten 2-1 by Como in the UEFA Youth League — a result that leaves their progression hopes in a precarious state. Having won just one of their first three group games, United can no longer afford a slip in their remaining three fixtures. They face Roma at home next week in what amounts to a must-win, before travelling to Sporting Lisbon and hosting RB Leipzig.

Academy sources had recently expressed confidence in reaching the knockout stages, but back-to-back defeats to Atletico Madrid and Como have underlined the competition’s difficulty after a comfortable opening win over Sabah.

Among those watching the U19s’ clash was Ryan Giggs, who attended at the invitation of Osian Roberts — a prominent figure in Welsh football and now head of development at Como. Giggs also had personal reasons to be present: his son Zach is close friends with the Fletcher twins, Jack and Tyler, and he would have been pleased to see Jack get on the scoresheet with a well-taken goal.

Seven academy players were involved in the first-team’s matchday squad against Como, with Jaydan Kamason and Tynan Thompson named on the bench for the first time at senior level alongside Shea Lacey, Harry Amass, Dan Armer, and the Fletcher twins.