Manchester United are turning their attention to Wednesday's Carabao Cup third-round clash with Brighton, eager to put Sunday's contentious derby defeat to Manchester City behind them. Head coach Ruud van Nistelrooy's assistant Michael Carrick has stressed the squad must refocus and return to winning ways, with the home tie against Brighton offering an immediate opportunity to do so.
Amid the build-up, United have provided fresh clarity on several key absentees, with encouraging signs for some while others remain further from full fitness.
Luke Shaw, who missed the midweek Champions League victory over Sabah, is understood to be nearing a return, though his recovery has not been rushed. "Close, very close, just not quite there," Carrick said prior to the City defeat, describing the issue as minor but not resolved in time for that fixture. The left-back could feature against Brighton on September 16 or in the following away trip to Fulham on September 20.
Matthijs de Ligt is also approaching a comeback after undergoing back surgery in May. There had been mild concern when the Dutch centre-back was absent from a training session before the Sabah match, but the club clarified this was simply a scheduled rest day rather than a setback. Carrick struck an optimistic tone regarding De Ligt's progress. "We have to see. It's positive. He's trained really well but we're still managing it, when you're out for such a long period of time, you get to the final stages, pushing and pushing, and you've got to manage that last stage," he explained. "It's important to get that balance right to take the next step. But he's on a good track, in a good place and it's great to have him back around us. Hopefully, some time soon." Like Shaw, De Ligt is being targeted for involvement against either Brighton or Fulham.
There is less certainty surrounding Carlos Baleba, United's £70million summer signing from Brighton, who is still awaiting his debut for the club. The Cameroonian arrived with an existing ankle ligament problem sustained during a pre-season friendly for the Seagulls against Strasbourg in early August. Carrick had initially hoped Baleba might be ready before the international break, but has since tempered expectations. "He's got a little ankle issue, so maybe a couple of weeks or so, maybe three weeks, we'll see. But we knew that before, so it's no major issue," Carrick said, while also expressing enthusiasm about the midfielder's long-term prospects. "It'll be great to have him back when we can. We're delighted with Carlos. I think huge potential, massive potential. I think it's a really exciting signing for us." A first appearance against his former club this week looks improbable, with his return more likely to come after the international break, potentially in the October 10 home fixture against Tottenham.
Amad Diallo remains sidelined, with some reports suggesting the winger could be out for as long as six weeks, ruling him out until after the international break as well. United's post-break schedule is demanding, featuring the visit of Tottenham followed by three consecutive away assignments against Atletico Madrid, Leeds and Como, two of which come in the Champions League.
Elsewhere, midfielder Manuel Ugarte has yet to feature for United this season having suffered a serious ligament injury on international duty with Uruguay, when he was stretchered off during a group-stage defeat to Spain. His timeline for recovery remains unclear. Backup goalkeeper Tom Heaton also continues his recovery from a hamstring problem picked up in a pre-season friendly against Paris Saint-Germain in early August, with no firm return date available for either player.
Based on reporting from standard-football.