Under-pressure Van Gaal recalls goalkeeper from National League North side Stockport County

Manchester United have recalled 18-year-old goalkeeper Dean Henderson from a loan spell at Stockport County as beleaguered manager Louis van Gaal attempts to plug the gaps in his injury-hit squad.

Van Gaal’s first-choice David De Gea hurt his knee in the warm-up prior to the 2-1 defeat at Midtjylland in the Europa League on Thursday, prompting Sergio Romero to start in the Spaniard’s absence.

Romero will keep his place for Monday’s FA Cup fifth-round clash at Shrewsbury Town with England youth international Henderson – who has been playing in the National League North – likely to be on the bench as the club’s other goalkeepers either injured or unavailable.

Sam Johnstone is not fit, Joel Castro Pereira is cup-tied having played for Rochdale earlier in the competition, while former Barcelona stopper Victor Valdes is on loan at Standard Liege.

Van Gaal goes into the game knowing a defeat could prove the final straw for the United fans who voiced their displeasure at the midweek setback in Denmark.

But he will be without a host of key men at Greenhous Meadow with the likes of Wayne Rooney, Phil Jones, Ashley Young, Marcos Rojo, Luke Shaw, Antonio Valencia, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Marouane Fellaini and Adnan Januzaj all set to miss out.