Exclusive: Shea Lacey picks up injury

Manchester United prodigy Shea Lacey has suffered a minor calf injury this week, CentreDevils can confirm, ruling the 18-year-old winger out of Sunday’s Premier League meeting with Tottenham Hotspur.

Lacey, who only recently broke into Erik ten Hag’s first-team fold after an 18-month battle with successive setbacks, was conspicuously absent from the matchday squad that arrived at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. His omission paved the way for fellow academy graduate Tyler Fletcher to take his place among the substitutes, with Fletcher ultimately making his senior debut in the 2-2 draw.

Initial scans conducted at United’s Carrington training complex have indicated the calf strain is not severe, and club medics have pencilled in a return window of “a few weeks” provided rehabilitation progresses smoothly. Staff are adamant they will not accelerate the England youth international’s comeback, mindful of the torn thigh muscle that sidelined him for nearly five months during the 2023-24 campaign and the catalogue of complaints that followed.

The Stockport-born attacker, renowned for razor-sharp close control and clinical finishing, had looked poised to build on early-season momentum after shaking off his previous injury woes. Having featured for both club and country without issue since August, Lacey’s progression appeared seamless until this latest setback.

While the news represents a frustrating jolt to the teenager’s upward trajectory, United’s depth at academy level again came to the fore as Fletcher seized the spotlight. The club’s hierarchy remain confident Lacey will resume his pivotal role in their long-term project once fully fit.

United’s medical team will monitor the winger on a daily basis, with a cautious return-to-play protocol expected to keep him out of contention for the club’s festive fixtures. Further updates on his recovery are anticipated in the coming fortnight.