Injury Crisis Forces Carrick's Hand: Three Must-Have Changes for Man Utd's Premier League Comeback

Manchester United salvaged a late equalizer against pointless Fulham before the season's first international break, accumulating five points from their opening five matches of the 2026–27 campaign.

Michael Carrick would have anticipated a stronger points tally at this juncture of his debut full season at the helm, particularly after guiding the club to top form across the final 16 fixtures of the previous term. Nevertheless, he has remained focused on the bright side.

"It has been pretty fine ­margins [so far this season] that have flipped it [the wrong way]," Carrick told reporters at Craven Cottage. "I know we can do better … we need to do better at certain things. But I'm not despondent and down because we're showing some good signs."

The Red Devils welcome Tottenham Hotspur to Old Trafford when league action returns on Saturday, with Roberto De Zerbi's side sitting at the very foot of the table.

However, one pressing concern for Carrick is assembling a competitive lineup, as the squad's injury concerns grew considerably during the international window.

Man Utd's Injury List After International Break

United were already dealing with several injury absences prior to the international break. Amad Diallo has been sidelined since preseason, while Manuel Ugarte sustained a long-term injury at the World Cup. Matthijs de Ligt has been absent throughout all of 2026 due to a back complaint that ultimately required surgery in May, though he has since returned to training and is closing in on full fitness.

Of those three, only Amad has any realistic chance of playing some part against Spurs. His absence from the right wing has been noticeable during the early stages of the season.

Kobbie Mainoo and Marcus Rashford both withdrew from England duty after picking up knocks in the Fulham match. Both are anticipated to be available for the Spurs fixture, though they should remain classified as doubts until a definitive update emerges later this week.

Benjamin Šeško finds himself in a similar situation, having pulled out of Slovenia's squad before training even began. The forward, reportedly managing a shin issue similar to the one that cut short his 2025–26 season, was absent against Fulham and has only come off the bench in the Premier League this term as part of a gradual return to fitness. He has reassured supporters that he is "getting there" with his recovery. Even so, a starting berth on Saturday seems unlikely even if he is fit.

Patrick Dorgu was sent back by Denmark after appearing to pick up a hamstring problem during his nation's second of four international fixtures. He started the match against Wales but was substituted off after just 30 minutes. Noussair Mazraoui is another player whose availability remains uncertain, having been sent home by Morocco following an injury sustained against Lesotho on Sept. 29. Both are considered doubts for the Spurs encounter.

Should neither Karl Darlow nor Tom Heaton recover from what are believed to be relatively minor issues, young goalkeeper Dermot Mee could earn only his second bench appearance of the season as backup to first-choice stopper Senne Lammens.

How Michael Carrick Can Replace Potential Absentees

If Mainoo is ruled out by Saturday, it could pave the way for a debut appearance from summer recruit Carlos Baleba. The Cameroonian international arrived from Brighton & Hove Albion carrying an injury and spent his initial weeks at the club recovering from that ankle complaint.

Should Rashford be unavailable from the start, Carrick may opt for an attacking reshuffle, shifting Matheus Cunha back to the left-sided role he occupied for much of last season. With Bryan Mbeumo potentially leading the attack through the middle, that could open the door on the right for Shea Lacey to make his first Premier League start.

How Man Utd Will Line Up After International Break

Baleba was an unused substitute in the Fulham match and has had an additional three weeks on the training pitch to sharpen his fitness. He should provide balance in midfield as the most natural defensive presence in the center and the closest equivalent to the departed Casemiro.

Baleba also featured in the behind-closed-doors friendly against INEOS-owned Lausanne-Sport.

The defensive line could stay the same as it was against Fulham, though Leny Yoro or Ayden Heaven may be pushing for Lisandro Martínez's spot, depending on the Argentine's condition following his return from South America this week. Yoro started France's 4–1 victory over Belgium on Monday, marking his senior international debut, though he is ideally suited to the right side of central defence.