Manchester United Suffer Major Setback As $56M Star Injured Ahead Of Derby Clash With City

In what could be a major setback for Manchester United ahead of their derby clash with Manchester City, defender Raphael Varane sustained a hamstring issue Tuesday.

Varane was forced out of Manchester United's Champions League clash with Atalanta that ended in a 2-2 draw. Manager Ole Gunnar Solsjkaer later revealed that the first assessment of the center-back's injury "doesn't look good."

Following Varane's departure off the field in the 38th minute after kickoff, Solskjaer replaced him with Mason Greenwood and switched his formation to a back four after starting with five in defense.

"He felt his hamstring as he ran there. So of course you can't take any risks, unfortunately. Rafa has been such a calming influence when he's on the pitch. We lost him but that's football. He didn't want to risk anything. First assessment doesn't look good. Fingers crossed," Solskjaer said in a post-match press conference Tuesday in Italy, Man Utd's official website showed.

Varane's situation doesn't look good ahead of Manchester United's Premier League clash with City at Old Trafford on Saturday. Solskjaer's side is currently placed fifth in the 2021-22 Premier League table with 17 points, three less than reigning champions Man City, who are in the third spot.

Manchester United signed Varane for $56 million from Real Madrid this summer. Varane missed around three games due to a groin injury earlier this season. The France national has so far made only nine appearances for his new club.

It was previously reported that following Manchester United's 5-0 drubbing in the hands of Liverpool last month, Solskjaer was handed a three-match deadline to rescue his job. Out of the three, the Red Devils have played two, winning against Spurs and drawing against Atalanta. Their biggest test is set to take place this weekend when they host their arch-rivals City in the Premier League.

It was Cristiano Ronaldo who once again rescued his side Tuesday. Josip Ilicic opened the scoring, just 12 minutes after the kickoff, with a low effort that squeezed under David de Gea at a vociferous Gewiss Stadium. Ronaldo netted an added-time equalizer in the first half before Duvan Zapata's 56th-minute effort doubled the hosts' lead.

The scoreline remained 2-1 until the stoppage time, where Ronaldo volleyed one outside the box and earned a crucial point for Manchester United in Bergamo. Ronaldo rescued the Red Devils toward the end in each of his side's last two European meetings. While his strike Tuesday saw Manchester United take a respectable 2-2 draw, in the previous game, Ronaldo had struck a winner to hand Man Utd a 3-2 win over the same opposition.

Solskjaer heaped praise on Ronaldo in a post-match interview.

"[Ronaldo] is incredible, if there's anyone you want the ball to fall to in the last minute, it's him. He's the best goalscorer alive, and it's hard for me to say that because he just went past me with his two goals, now he's got one more goal for Man Utd than me, but well done!" said Solskjaer.