Manchester United return to Premier League competition this lunchtime with a trip to face Hull City. Expectations remain considerable for the club, with their participation in the Champions League this campaign meaning they aim to fight for honours across four different tournaments.
The Red Devils go into the match as clear favourites against their recently-promoted opposition, though several fitness concerns persist heading into kick-off. Sesko and Darlow were absent throughout the entirety of pre-season due to injury, while De Ligt has not featured since the previous campaign and Mount sustained a problem during the encounter with Paris Saint-Germain that has kept him unavailable since.
Here is the latest injury situation from the club ahead of this fixture.
Benjamin Sesko
Issue: Shin
The forward has been sidelined since the win over Liverpool in May. The striker collided with the perimeter advertising boards during that match. When queried about the player on Thursday, Carrick stated that Sesko had returned to training and expressed optimism about reintegrating him into the squad and giving him playing time.
Possible comeback: August 22 against Hull
Karl Darlow
Issue: Undisclosed
Darlow possessed a pre-existing condition prior to signing for United during the summer. This problem prevented him from featuring in any pre-season matches for his new club. However, Carrick has indicated the goalkeeper is available for selection on Saturday, noting he had participated in training throughout the week and was in adequate condition.
Matthijs de Ligt
Issue: Back
The Dutch centre-back sustained a back problem during the previous season. Initially the club believed it would be a short-term issue. Nevertheless, he required surgery towards the conclusion of the last campaign, meaning he missed all pre-season preparation. Lately, De Ligt has been training outdoors again and Carrick offered encouraging news on Thursday.
He noted that while De Ligt had been absent for an extended period, the defender was now exercising and it was positive to have him back. He clarified the player would not feature immediately but was in good condition and progressing well, describing it as a significant boost for the squad at this stage.
Possible comeback: To be confirmed
Mason Mount
Issue: Foot
Mount was substituted during the stalemate with PSG and Carrick was swift to indicate the issue was not severe. Despite this, he sat out the final two summer pre-season matches and remains uncertain for today’s encounter.
When questioned about Mount’s fitness, the United manager said he was unconcerned. He described Mount as an excellent player who had demonstrated that quality during pre-season, being one of the standout performers in the early fixtures. The manager said this came as no surprise based on what he had previously observed and what he expected from the player. Mount had suffered a minor injury and there was no cause for alarm. The problem had affected him for around ten days or so but was not significant. The manager acknowledged Mount had missed considerable football in recent years and was eager to be fully fit and in rhythm, and the club were supporting him in achieving that. He emphasized they had to manage the squad carefully as injuries would occur throughout the season, requiring sufficient depth to maintain a strong starting eleven and navigate the campaign. Mount would return very soon, if not straightaway, and everything was positive.
Possible comeback: August 30 against Ipswich
Tom Heaton
Issue: Hamstring
Reports indicated that Heaton would learn the full extent of his hamstring problem shortly. The experienced goalkeeper was forced to leave the field during the PSG match after overextending while sprinting to make a clearance. He is anticipated to be unavailable for several weeks.
Possible comeback: September 6 against Everton
Manuel Ugarte
Issue: Knee ligament
Ugarte is the farthest from a return among the United squad. The midfielder was carried off on a stretcher during Uruguay’s loss to Spain at this summer’s World Cup. The player later spoke about the injury.
He wrote on social media that suffering the most severe injury a footballer can incur in one of the most significant matches in his nation’s history, and seeing it end that way without being able to remain on the pitch supporting his teammates until the final whistle, was something that would remain with him forever. He stated that reaching the lowest point would make him stronger in every way, and he genuinely believed that would prove true. He noted that when life wants you to stop, it finds a way to communicate that, and it was down to him to extract the positives from the situation. He concluded that success in life meant beginning again each time you fall.
Possible comeback: 2027