When it rains, it pours. And for Manchester United, the rain is currently showing no sign of stopping.

Wednesday night’s 4-3 defeat to Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena in their UEFA Champions League group stage opener marked a third defeat on the spin and a fourth reverse in their opening six matches this season. United last lost four of their opening six games at the start of a campaign back in 1986.

Back-to-back defeats to Brighton & Hove Albion and Bayern has meant that a sluggish start has turned into a disastrous one. United are already facing a must-win scenario when they make the short trip to Turf Moor to face Burnley on Saturday evening.

Though captain Bruno Fernandes refused to use it as an excuse in his post-match interview with one of the rights holders in Munich, United’s injury crisis is impacting them, just as it would any other club. The Reds are currently starved of some of their most important and senior players, not least in defence, where Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Raphael Varane, Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia all missed the trip to Germany through injury.

Manager Erik ten Hag, who admitted in his pre-match press conference on Tuesday evening that he has been unable to select his strongest starting XI ever since landing the job, was able to take just five senior defenders to Germany with him, one of whom was 35-year-old Jonny Evans. The Northern Irishman provided the only defensive cover on the bench.

United are also still without Mason Mount, Kobbie Mainoo and deadline day signing Sofyan Amrabat, all of whom are understood to be on the comeback trail and closing on returns to full fitness. Mount trained with the rest of the first-team squad at Carrington just over 24 hours before the defeat to Bayern, suggesting that he is on the brink of a return.

Though United have looked leggy and jaded in midfield, missing the freshness and energy that Mount would provide, their biggest problem is that their defence has been ripped apart because of injuries. With the exception of Lisandro Martinez, no other member of the back-four that started in Munich would have been given a starting berth had Wan-Bissaka, Varane and Shaw been available.

Though Wan-Bissaka and Shaw are long-term absentees, Varane is much closer to a return. Like Mount, he trained with the main group at Carrington on Tuesday morning, meaning he could soon be back in the fold.

The Frenchman, who has faced his fair share of injury problems since joining United in August 2021, was a standout figure last season, playing a key role in helping the club secure a top-four finish and end their six-year wait for a trophy. He also made a significant contribution to last season’s tally of 28 clean sheets in all competitions.

A Rolls-Royce of a centre-back, the 30-year-old is, when fit, one of the best in the world. He has an excellent understanding of the game and is a leader of men. He is United’s best defender by a country mile.

As a result of his importance and credentials, it is hardly surprising that United are harder to beat when he is on the pitch. Since he joined the club just over two years ago, United have conceded 146 goals in all competitions, 84 of which have been sieved when he has been absent. By contrast, they have conceded on 62 occasions when he has been on the pitch.

In both 2021/22 and 2022/23, United conceded 29 goals in all competitions when Varane was on the field, compared to the 40 and 34 goals they shipped when he was off it. His quality and importance cannot be understated.

United, though they looked vulnerable defensively in the three games prior to Varane’s most recent injury, conceded just four goals in those fixtures, keeping one clean sheet, compared to the 10 goals they have shipped in the last three without him. His absence has left a huge void within their rearguard and Martinez has regressed without him by his side. Their partnership was invaluable last season.

With such a stark difference in the number of goals conceded when he is and is not present, it is clear that his return cannot come quickly enough. Of course, he cannot solve all of United’s problems on his own, but he will certainly help ease them, certainly if recent history is anything to go by.

United knew they were signing a world-class centre-back just over two years ago, it is just unfortunate that they have not seen him enough. When he is at the peak of his powers, however, the difference he makes is there for all to see.