After being hit with more injury setbacks ahead of Manchester United’s Champions League clash against Como, Michael Carrick had more encouraging news for Harry Amass and Matthijs de Ligt after travelling to Italy.
Seven players missed Manchester United training on Tuesday before the team left Manchester for Como. That excludes Manuel Ugarte, as the Uruguayan faces a long spell out after suffering a nasty knee injury at the 2026 World Cup.
To make matters worse, Leny Yoro won’t feature due to suspension. The 20-year-old was harshly sent off in United’s 2-0 defeat against Atletico Madrid last Tuesday.
Michael Carrick fittingly described the injury news as a “mixed bag”, although there is some positive news about Matthijs de Ligt, on top of an encouraging hint for Harry Amass.
Harry Amass and Matthijs de Ligt could feature against Como
Undoubtedly, one of the biggest fears United fans had going into the 2026/27 season was the lack of cover and competition at left-back. That has already come back to bite Ineos because, as expected, Shaw cannot play every game.
Shaw may have done that last season, but it was a rarity – not just because he’s injury-prone, but because there were significantly fewer fixtures after failing to qualify for Europe in Ruben Amorim’s first season. Still, this hasn’t opened the door for Amass to get a run in the team, as Carrick has opted to play Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui at left-back ahead of the academy graduate.
When asked whether Amass could get minutes against Como, Carrick announced he is in contention and needs a chance, saying: “Yeah, for sure, that is why he’s with us.
“He’s right in contention. At some point, players need an opportunity.”
This is encouraging news for Amass, who has been given just 18 minutes in the first team so far this season. That came in the second half of United’s 4-0 win over FK Sabah over a month ago.
Carrick also confirmed that De Ligt is ready to play after a long journey out with a back injury and multiple setbacks. The Netherlands international has yet to appear under Carrick, so his return comes at a good time with United missing three centre-backs.
“It’s great to have him back,” the head coach added.
“He’s had such a long journey, 11 months or so. He’s been patient and has worked hard. We’re delighted to have him back; he’s ready.”
De Ligt has featured on the bench in recent weeks, but United have been careful with his recovery. He has had plenty of time to prepare. The Dutch centre-back’s last appearance for United was in November 2025, in a 2-1 away defeat to Crystal Palace.
from United In Focus https://ift.tt/0IYLeEu