Manchester United XI vs Chelsea: Predicted lineup, confirmed team news, injury latest for Premier League today | OneFootball

Michael Carrick now has just one centre-back available for key Stamford Bridge clash

Manchester United are facing a defensive crisis for tonight’s trip to Chelsea in the Premier League after Leny Yoro became the latest player to be ruled out.

It emerged late on Friday afternoon that the French centre-back had not made the trip to west London for an important late-season clash between top-six rivals having picked up a knock in training on the eve of the game.

United are still without Harry Maguire, who earlier this week received an additional one-match suspension from the Football Association (FA).

To compound United’s defensive nightmare, Lisandro Martinez was also red-carded on his return from a calf injury against Leeds for pulling the hair of striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin - a decision that an angry Michael Carrick described as “one of the worst I've seen”.

Martinez will serve a three-match ban and miss games against Chelsea, Brentford and Liverpool, with United having failed with their appeal against his dismissal.

Defensive crisis: Leny Yoro has joined Manchester United’s long list of absent centre-backs before Chelsea trip

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Matthijs de Ligt is still sidelined with a lingering back injury that has kept him out since November, leaving 19-year-old Ayden Heaven as United’s only fit senior centre-back against Chelsea and Carrick needing to get creative with his team selection.

Manuel Ugarte served as a makeshift centre-back after Martinez’s red card against Leeds, and he may be forced into a longer stint here, with Luke Shaw also a potential emergency option.

Noussair Mazraoui has previously played as a centre-back in a three-man defence, but Carrick switched Ruben Amorim’s system to a four-man backline after taking the interim coaching reins in January.

Elsewhere, Kobbie Mainoo missed the Leeds defeat with an issue that Carrick insisted was not serious.

“Kobbie is doing little bits, he's working toward it, he's doing bits, so there's a decision to be made,” Carrick said of Mainoo’s availability on Friday.

Amad Diallo, Bruno Fernandes and Matheus Cunha should all start again in attack, with Bryan Mbeumo potentially replacing Benjamin Sesko up front.

Patrick Dorgu is not yet ready to return from a hamstring injury.

“Patrick won't be [available],” Carrick said. “He's doing well, rehabbing well and he's kind of on track, but he's not with us in terms of training.

“He's back on the pitch, which is positive and he's doing really well.”

Predicted Manchester United XI (4-2-3-1): Lammens; Dalot, Shaw, Heaven, Mazraoui; Casemiro, Ugarte; Amad, Fernandes, Cunha; Mbeumo

Doubt: Mainoo

Injured: Yoro, De Ligt, Dorgu

Suspended: Maguire, Martinez