Ayden Heaven: Man Utd youngster shares update after worrying injury | OneFootball

Manchester United defender Ayden Heaven has responded to messages of support from fans after he was worryingly stretchered off during Sunday's Premier League win over Leicester City.

Heaven has been thrust into the United lineup in recent games due to injuries ruling out Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez, Leny Yoro and Jonny Evans. But the 18-year-old has impressed, starting against Real Sociedad and Leicester after replacing Yoro in the recent draw with his former club Arsenal.

Heaven succumbed to his own injury issue against the Foxes, treated on the pitch and then put onto a stretcher following a collision with Leicester forward Patson Daka. He was later seen leaving the King Power Stadium with a protective boot, but without the need for crutches.

Ruben Amorim said after the game that assessments would be carried out, but it was hard to know much more at that time because Heaven is a young player without much experience of injuries and struggled to convey the exact problem to medical staff in the moment.

However, a few days later and Heaven has provided a more positive update. Posting an Instagram story, he thanked well-wishing supporters and revealed: "I'm doing really well and recovering fast."

Man Utd will hope Heaven isn't out for too long / Gareth Copley/GettyImages

Exactly how long Heaven will be sidelined for remains to be seen, but the chance of him returning to play a role before the end of the season now appears good.

Heaven's withdrawal against Leicester required a reshuffle from Amorim, with midfielder Toby Collyer brought into the backline. United had centre-back Tyler Fredricson on the bench, but the head coach opted against throwing the 20-year-old, for whom it would have been a debut, in at the deep end.

Amorim has also previously spoken glowingly about towering 17-year-old defender Godwill Kukonki, who was named on the bench for Premier League clashes with Arsenal, Newcastle United and Southampton earlier in the season, aged only 16 at the time.

"He impressed me a lot, so it's also a sign to the youth players that they can be here," Amorim said of Kukonki in December. "If something happened with the first-team, they have to step up and I think he's ready. He's very adult to handle the Premier League's demands."