Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag cut Phil Jones and Brandon Williams from his Europa League squad due to their prolonged recovery timescales from injury.
The two defenders were excluded from United's 25-man squad and although Williams is a locally-trained player he no longer qualifies for Uefa's 'B list' as he was born before September 1 2001.
Jones, 30, has not trained with United since players returned for pre-season training on June 27 and Williams, 22, sustained an unspecified injury in early July that has prevented him from figuring under the new United manager. Also read: United have got their De Jong without paying €85m In finalising his squad, Ten Hag had to select two players from an injured quartet of Jones, Williams, Axel Tuanzebe and Facundo Pellistri.
United sources expect Tuanzebe and Pellistri to return sooner than Jones and Williams. Tuanzebe, 24, left United's pre-season tour of Thailand and Australia after one game due to a personal issue and has been out injured for the last two months.
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