Manchester United are hopeful of having at least one player return to full fitness before Sunday's Manchester derby against Man City, though several key names remain sidelined as manager Michael Carrick continues to manage a lengthy treatment room list.
Carrick received a boost with Mason Mount back in full training, while Luke Shaw overcame a fitness scare to start in the recent match against Everton. However, summer arrival Amad Diallo is unlikely to be involved in the Champions League clash with Sabah, though he is working hard to be fit for the derby itself.
Marcus Rashford was among the standout performers against Everton, giving Merlin Rohl a difficult afternoon before being replaced after 70 minutes. His withdrawal with 20 minutes remaining raised some eyebrows given his impressive display, but Carrick clarified the reasoning afterward. "Yeah, he was feeling a bit of something," the United boss said. Despite the precaution, Rashford is expected to be available for the visit of Sabah on September 10.
Elsewhere, new signing Carlos Baleba continues to work his way back from a minor ankle issue that has delayed his United debut since his £70 million move to Old Trafford. Carrick had previously suggested the problem would keep him out for two to three weeks. "He's got a little ankle issue, so maybe a couple of weeks or so, maybe three weeks, but we'll see," Carrick said last month. "But we knew that before, so it's no major issue."
The United manager remained cautiously optimistic about the midfielder's progress but stopped short of committing to a firm timeline. "It will be great to have him back. We'll wait and see. We're hopeful but I don't want to put any deadlines on it just yet," he added. While Baleba could feasibly be fit before the upcoming international break, the club may prefer to ease him in gradually, with the home game against Tottenham on October 10 seen as a more realistic target for his first appearance.
Amad Diallo, meanwhile, has been absent for United's opening three fixtures of the campaign after picking up a muscle injury in training. Carrick has offered limited detail on his recovery timeline but confirmed before the win at Ipswich that the winger would be out for "a little bit longer." The Ivorian is now being targeted for a return in the derby against Manchester City on September 13.
Longer-term, Matthijs de Ligt continues his gradual comeback after undergoing surgery for a lower back problem that has kept him out of competitive action since November. The Dutch defender has returned to first-team training but will need time to rebuild match sharpness following ten months on the sidelines. "[De Ligt]'s obviously been out for a long period of time, but he's training and great to have him back," Carrick said. "He's in good shape and moving in a good direction. So that's really a good bonus for us, at this stage to have him back." A return is not expected until closer to September 2026.
Manuel Ugarte remains the club's longest-term absentee. The midfielder is recovering from surgery on a torn knee ligament sustained during the World Cup and could miss the entirety of the current season, with a potential return not anticipated until spring or summer 2027.
With the derby looming and the Champions League campaign underway, Carrick will be hoping his squad's injury situation continues to improve in the coming weeks.
Based on reporting from standard-football.