Manchester United have received a timely fitness boost heading into their Premier League clash with Fulham, with manager Michael Carrick suggesting that both Carlos Baleba and Luke Shaw could be in contention to feature this weekend.
Baleba, who joined United from Brighton in a £70million summer deal, has yet to make his debut for the club after picking up an ankle injury during pre-season. Earlier in the week, Carrick had indicated that the midfielder was progressing well in training and was more likely to be involved in matches after the October international break. However, just days later, the United boss revised his assessment, hinting that the 22-year-old could make his long-awaited first appearance for the club sooner than expected.
Asked directly about the fitness of Baleba and left-back Shaw ahead of the visit of Fulham, Carrick confirmed that both players have "a chance" of featuring, though he stopped short of guaranteeing their involvement. "Not totally 100% on either," he said, while also addressing Shaw's recent absence.
Shaw has been missing from United's matchday squad for the last three fixtures because of an unspecified issue, having last played in the 2-2 draw at Everton. Carrick explained that the defender's return remains a short-term, day-by-day process. "It is really short term [with Shaw] but it is just working towards the game," he said, suggesting the club's medical staff are managing his recovery carefully in the build-up to the weekend fixture.
The potential returns of Baleba and Shaw would come at a crucial moment for United, who have endured a difficult start to the campaign. The club currently sit on just four points from their opening four Premier League matches, a tally that has intensified scrutiny on Carrick's position as manager. United's struggles were compounded by their elimination from the Carabao Cup following a home defeat to Baleba's former club, Brighton.
Despite the pressure mounting around Old Trafford, Carrick sought to strike a balanced tone when discussing the club's recent form, urging supporters and observers alike to keep perspective on the situation. "We've got to put things in perspective: it's not a catastrophe or a disaster, it's not the end of the world, we've lost a couple of games recently," he said.
The United boss also pushed back against the narrative that his side have been consistently outplayed in recent weeks, insisting that his team has been competitive in most of their matches this season. "We feel we've started and been in all the games we've played, if not being the better team at the start of games. We're not having a real struggle all the time," Carrick added.
He went on to stress that the group's confidence remains intact behind the scenes, even if that has not always been reflected in results or public perception. "We've done a lot of good things, the belief comes from that. The good things we've done get lost in the surrounding feeling but they don't get lost by us," he said.
With United in need of a response, the potential availability of Baleba and Shaw could offer fresh options as Carrick looks to steady the ship against Fulham this Sunday. Both players' final inclusion will likely depend on how they train in the days leading up to kick-off, but their possible return represents a rare piece of good news amid a turbulent start to the season at Old Trafford.
Based on reporting from Standard Football.