Michael Carrick confirms injury latest on Carlos Baleba, Marcus Rashford and more | OneFootball

Manchester United Injury Update Before Man City Derby

Manchester United head into a demanding week with one eye on Sabah and the other on Manchester City, and the injury picture is starting to shift. Michael Carrick has had some encouragement, with Mason Mount back fit and Luke Shaw already returning to the starting line-up against Everton. That matters, because United need bodies, options and a bit of continuity.

The derby is the bigger concern. Sabah may arrive first, but nobody at Old Trafford will pretend Sunday is not the priority. As things stand, United are hoping at least one player can be back in contention for that game, while others remain on slower timelines.

Marcus Rashford Concern After Everton

Marcus Rashford looked sharp against Everton and caused problems throughout his 70 minutes, particularly with his direct running and willingness to attack space. So when he came off, it raised eyebrows. Carrick later explained the change, saying: “Yeah, he was feeling a bit of something.”

That does not automatically mean a lay-off, but it does put his immediate availability under scrutiny. With Sabah up next, United may decide not to take risks if there is any doubt at all. The working assumption is that Rashford should be available soon, and the home game against Sabah on September 10 is currently viewed as the earliest realistic return point if caution wins out.

Photo: IMAGO

Amad Diallo Pushing for Timely Return

Amad Diallo has yet to feature this season after suffering a muscle injury in training, and United have been careful with their messaging around him. Carrick has not gone into much detail, beyond saying the winger would be out for “a little bit longer”.

Even so, there is a sense Amad is moving in the right direction. The Champions League fixture may come a touch too soon, but the Manchester City match is a different conversation. If United can get him back for the derby, even from the bench, it would give Carrick another quick, intelligent option in the final third. For now, September 13 against City is the date to watch.

Carlos Baleba and De Ligt Still Waiting

Carlos Baleba arrived with a minor ankle issue and that has pushed back his Manchester United debut. The club have not framed it as serious, but it is enough to delay his first involvement. Carrick said: ”He’s got a little ankle issue, so maybe a couple of weeks or so, maybe three weeks, but we’ll see. But we knew that before, so it’s no major issue. 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.’

The £70 million midfielder could return before the international break, though that feels optimistic. A more sensible target looks like Tottenham at home on October 10, especially if United want him fully integrated rather than rushed in half-ready.

Matthijs de Ligt is in a different category altogether. He has not played competitively since November because of a lower back injury that led to surgery. He is back in first-team training, which is the good news. The less exciting reality is that after 10 months out, match rhythm will not return overnight. Carrick’s update was straightforward: “[De Ligt]’s obviously been out for a long period of time, but he’s training and great to have him back. 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.” September 2026 remains the broad target.

Long-Term Blow for Manuel Ugarte

The most serious case is Manuel Ugarte. The midfielder is recovering from surgery after a knee ligament tear suffered during the World Cup, and there is no point dressing that up. This is a major absence, and one that could stretch across the whole campaign. At present, Spring or Summer 2027 is the expectation.

So the short version is simple. Rashford and Amad Diallo offer hope ahead of the Man City derby, Carlos Baleba will need a little more patience, Matthijs de Ligt remains in the rebuild phase, and Manuel Ugarte is looking at the longest road back of all.