Manchester United are dealing with a number of injuries as the Premier League resumes after the international break. There is good news regarding Bruno Fernandes, who has recovered from a minor issue that kept him out of one Portugal match and has continued to represent his nation.
Several of his team-mates have not been as fortunate, with many dropping out of international duty. With Tottenham visiting Old Trafford in less than a week, it is unclear how many United players will be fit to feature.
Rashford and Sesko fitness concerns
Marcus Rashford picked up a knock in the second half of United’s draw at Fulham before the international break and subsequently withdrew from England duty. He landed awkwardly after a heavy tackle, and Carrick later revealed he had suffered a minor issue.
“We had to bring him off, as he had a bit of an issue. I'm not sure [if he's alright],” said Carrick at Craven Cottage. He should be fit to return after three weeks of rest, but Carrick will issue an update ahead of Tottenham’s visit.
Benjamin Sesko has been forced to withdraw from Slovenia duty after aggravating the shin injury that ruled him out of the latter stages of last season and the early stages of this campaign. He was thought to be back to full fitness when he started against Sabah, but he was a surprise exclusion for the trip to face Fulham.
Carrick said of the Slovenian: “It was a pain in his shin. We’re not sure with him yet. He felt a bit of pain after the game. We’re assessing him. He definitely wasn’t ready for today.” The previous instance of this injury ruled Sesko out for nearly four months, so his return date remains unknown.
Mainoo, Diallo and other absentees
Kobbie Mainoo sparked concerns by withdrawing from international duty. No clear issue has been given, but he was listed among injured players by Thomas Tuchel and is thought to be managing his load. It is hoped he can feature when United reconvene.
Amad Diallo has yet to appear this season after picking up an ankle injury in the summer. Carrick suggested he was weeks away from a return before the international break, meaning he may be closing in on his first appearance of the season.
Patrick Dorgu is the primary casualty from this international break after being forced off early in Denmark’s Nations League clash with Wales with an apparent hamstring injury. He has returned to United for an assessment, the result of which has yet to be revealed.
Matthijs de Ligt is approaching a year on the sidelines with a back injury for which he underwent surgery in the summer. He travelled with the squad to face Fulham but was not named in the matchday squad. Noussair Mazraoui was forced off early with an apparent injury as Morocco beat Lesotho 2-0, but he travelled with the squad to face Mali, suggesting any issue was minor.
Long-term absentees and return dates
Karl Darlow dropped out of Wales’ squad for this international break citing injury, with the nature and severity of his issue unclear. Manuel Ugarte remains in recovery after undergoing surgery on a ruptured ACL and is set to miss the vast majority of the season. Tom Heaton has been absent since picking up a hamstring injury in a pre-season friendly against Paris Saint-Germain in August.
Potential return dates: Rashford, Mainoo, Diallo, De Ligt and Mazraoui could feature on October 10 vs Tottenham (H), while Sesko, Dorgu, Darlow and Heaton have unknown return dates, and Ugarte is expected back in spring/summer 2027.
