Manchester United will be without in-form winger Amad Diallo for their opening Premier League fixture of the season, a lunchtime clash away at the MKM Stadium against Hull City, after the Ivorian was left out of the matchday squad entirely.
The absence came as a surprise to many observers, given that Amad had started and featured for around an hour in United's final pre-season friendly against AC Milan just a week earlier. The 24-year-old had been one of the standout performers for the club over the previous campaign, impressing further during the summer's preparation matches, and had also drawn praise for his displays with Ivory Coast at the World Cup.
Manager Michael Carrick addressed the situation before kickoff, revealing that Amad had suffered a minor issue in training in the days leading up to the match. "He picked up a niggle at the end of the week so we are just assessing that. Hopefully we get Amad back pretty soon. He's been in a good place but we will deal with that," Carrick told TNT Sports.
While no definitive timeline has been given for the winger's return, the club is understood to be hopeful that his absence will be brief rather than a long-term setback.
Amad is not the only notable name missing from United's squad for the trip to Humberside. Mason Mount also failed to make the matchday group, having been described by Carrick as "touch and go" following a foot injury picked up during a pre-season friendly against Paris Saint-Germain in Sweden earlier in the summer.
Dutch defender Matthijs de Ligt remains out as well, continuing his gradual return to full fitness after a lengthy back problem that has kept him sidelined since November of last year. Meanwhile, midfielder Manuel Ugarte faces an extended spell on the sidelines, likely to stretch into several months, after undergoing surgery for a serious knee injury sustained during the World Cup.
In goal, United's options were also affected by fitness concerns. Third-choice goalkeeper Tom Heaton is dealing with a hamstring injury, though there was a positive update on Karl Darlow, who has recovered from a minor medical procedure carried out during the final stages of his previous spell at Leeds United. Darlow will serve as backup to first-choice goalkeeper Senne Lammens for the match in Hull.
Up front, striker Benjamin Sesko finds himself among the substitutes after a persistent shin complaint forced him to miss the entirety of pre-season. He is joined on the bench by Marcus Rashford, who has been given the club's vacant No.9 shirt and could be poised to make his first competitive United appearance since December 2024, following loan spells away at Barcelona and Aston Villa.
Elsewhere in the squad, United handed competitive debuts to two of their summer recruits, with Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans both included in midfield. The club's business in that area of the pitch is expected to continue in the coming days, with Carlos Baleba set to undergo a medical after United agreed a deal with Brighton worth an initial £65million, with a further £5million in potential add-ons.
Despite the lengthy list of absentees, United will be looking to start the new Premier League campaign with a positive result on the road against Hull City, as Carrick's side begin what promises to be a demanding season with several key players working their way back to full fitness.
Based on reporting from Standard Sport.