Manchester United could be without as many as six players for their Champions League opener against Azerbaijani side Sabah at Old Trafford on Thursday evening. The Red Devils are looking to start their league phase campaign with a win, but several squad members are battling fitness issues.
United's injury concerns
Marcus Rashford, who was withdrawn with a potential injury concern during the weekend's 2-2 draw with Everton, took a full part in Wednesday's training session and is expected to be available. However, Amad was still absent as he continues his recovery from a muscle injury sustained in training before the season began.
Matthijs de Ligt and Luke Shaw were both given rest days on Wednesday, with the club confirming the pair were absent from the session. De Ligt has been sidelined since November last year with a back problem, and manager Michael Carrick provided an update on his recovery.
Carrick's update on De Ligt
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Carrick said: "We have to see. It's positive. He's trained really well but we're still managing it, when you're out for such a long period of time, you get to the final stages, pushing and pushing, and you've got to manage that last stage."
"It's important to get that balance right to take the next step. But he's on a good track, in a good place and it's great to have him back around us. Hopefully, some time soon."
Regarding Shaw, the manager added: "Yeah, we just gave him an extra recovery day today, Luke. So, obviously, we'll see tomorrow how he is but it's not an ongoing thing or planning like that."
More absentees and Sabah's concerns
Carlos Baleba was also missing from the session, continuing his recovery from an ankle problem sustained during pre-season while on duty with Brighton. Manuel Ugarte remains a long-term casualty as he recuperates from a knee injury picked up while on international duty with Uruguay at the World Cup.
For Sabah, Khayal Aliyev is ruled out due to a hamstring problem. United go into the match after being forced to settle for a point against Everton, with several players sidelined through injury during that Premier League encounter.
