Oct 15, 2026 11:38 AM
Struggling for form and facing internal turmoil, Michael Carrick monitors the fitness of key stars as the Red Devils prepare for a high-stakes clash at Elland Road.
Manchester United are heading into a crunch away fixture against Leeds United in the Premier League, with the club fractured and in disarray.
Michael Carrick's side are five games without a win, and with Lisandro Martínez following the 2-0 loss to Atletico Madrid with an explosive interview calling out the board for their lack of summer investment in the squad, the mood around the club is low.
Leeds, on the other hand, are flying high, having lost only one of their opening six league fixtures and sitting 7th, six places above United.
With a tough run of fixtures ahead for United, Carrick will hope to galvanise the squad in first-team training and, with many tipping Leeds as favourites for the tie at Elland Road on Sunday afternoon, surprise viewers with a strong performance and three points.
Below is the latest on United's injury news, with fans hoping to hear positive updates on Benjamin Šeško, Kobbie Mainoo, and Luke Shaw.
Benjamin Šeško
What happened: Šeško has not featured for United since a 3-2 loss against Brighton last month after a recurrence of his shin injury that kept him out of pre-season.
What's been said: “We’re still waiting during this week to do a few extra tests.” Carrick admitted earlier this week: “At this moment, I haven’t really got a better timeframe for it.”
Possible return date: N/A
Kobbie Mainoo
What happened: Mainoo did not travel to face Atletico Madrid due to an injury sustained against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.
What's been said: “Luke and Kobbie had issues in the game on Saturday, so we’re kind of working through that," Carrick said on Mainoo and Shaw. Since their no travelling was a last-minute decision, this suggests their problems aren't too serious.
Possible return date: Sunday, 18 October vs Leeds United.
Luke Shaw
What happened: Like Mainoo, Shaw did not travel to face Atletico Madrid due to an injury sustained against Spurs on Saturday.
What's been said: As Mainoo's summary above reports, Carrick's words suggest that Shaw's injury may not be too serious.
Possible return date: Sunday, 18 October vs Leeds United.
Patrick Dorgu
What happened: Patrick Dorgu suffered an injury while on international duty for Denmark against Wales, and was not part of the squad that drew with Tottenham.
What's been said: "Patrick came off [for Denmark against Wales] and looks like he'll be out for a number of weeks," the United boss admitted on Friday afternoon.
Possible return date: Mid-November.
Noussair Mazraoui
What happened: Noussair Mazraoui suffered an injury while playing for Morocco earlier this month and missed the Spurs fixture.
What's been said: “Mazraoui came in with a knock and hasn’t fully recovered yet, so we’ll have to wait and see how he is,” Carrick said last week.
Possible return date: N/A
Manuel Ugarte
What happened: Manuel Ugarte suffered an ACL injury while at the World Cup with Uruguay, and has started his rehabilitation after undergoing surgary.
What's been said: Reports at the time suggested his recovery from the injury could take around nine months, though the timeline will depend heavily on how well his rehabilitation goes.
Expected return date: Early 2027.
Tom Heaton
What happened: Tom Heaton has been absent since picking up a hamstring injury while facing Paris Saint-Germain in a pre-season friendly in August.
What's been said: There has been no update on his condition since.
Possible return date: N/A
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