Michael Carrick says both players picked up problems against Tottenham and have not travelled, as his side look to end a run of four games without a win in the Champions League.
Manchester United will be without midfielder Kobbie Mainoo and defender Luke Shaw for Tuesday night’s Champions League trip to Atletico Madrid. Both were injured in Saturday’s draw with Tottenham, and head coach Michael Carrick confirmed they have not travelled. United beat Sabah 4-0 in their opening European fixture but have not won in four games since. Speculation about Carrick’s position has grown, less than six months after he was appointed on a full-time basis.
Carrick’s team news
Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Carrick said: “They’ve not travelled, they both picked up issues in the game on Saturday and we were working through that, to see what that looks like. At the moment, they are not ready for the game tomorrow.”
He said the squad was not stretched, however. “We’re not light on numbers, no,” he said. “Of course, we’ve got a couple of issues with some players missing out but we’re definitely not light on numbers.”
Carrick welcomed the involvement of young defender Dan Armer. “It’s good for Dan to be part of it and for younger players to sample it, the build-up to the game, and get a sense of it,” he said. Armer is 18, has featured for United in pre-season and can play at left-back. Harry Amass was also reportedly involved in the final training session.
De Ligt’s return
Carrick also spoke about Matthijs de Ligt. “It’s good to have Matta in and around it,” he said. “We’ve had a little bit of patience with him, working through that and working hard to get to this stage. He’s had a long journey so we’re delighted to have him back.”
De Ligt last played for United on 30 November 2025, nearly 11 months ago, and underwent surgery for a back problem. Being in the travelling party does not mean he will start. Given the length of his absence, Carrick could introduce him gradually. Lisandro Martinez, Harry Maguire and Leny Yoro are among the other central defensive options.
Further injury concerns
Reports suggest the problems may extend beyond Mainoo and Shaw. Benjamin Sesko, Patrick Dorgu and Noussair Mazraoui reportedly missed United’s final training session before the trip. Sesko has been managing a shin problem. Manuel Ugarte is also reported to have a knee injury. Carrick has not confirmed any of this.
The absences of Dorgu and Mazraoui would leave United short at left-back, and Carrick could move Diogo Dalot across with Yoro on the right. United have not published a full travelling squad, and these suggestions are speculation rather than confirmed selections.
Summer signing Carlos Baleba is reportedly being considered for his first start of the season after impressing as a substitute against Tottenham. He would offer a more physical option alongside players such as Youri Tielemans and Bruno Fernandes. Former United captain Gary Neville has questioned the effectiveness of the Mainoo-Tielemans pairing, so Mainoo’s absence gives Carrick the chance to try a different combination.
United’s difficult start
United have taken six points from their first six Premier League games, which is reportedly their worst league start in about 40 years. They have won twice in eight matches in all competitions. The opening 4-0 win over Sabah stands out, and the last outing was a draw with ten-man Tottenham.
Atletico in good form
Atletico have won their last four La Liga games and are second, behind Barcelona. Their latest win was 2-1 away to Deportivo Alaves. Defender Alex Grimaldo has scored three goals in his last four appearances, including against Alaves after recovering from a fitness concern. Julian Alvarez replaced Jonathan David at half-time in that match and is being considered for a start. Alexander Sorloth is another option.
Diego Simeone is expected to have almost his full squad available, with Pablo Barrios and Arnau Ortiz back from fitness issues. Alex Baena is another attacking option. Atletico could use a 3-4-3 shape with Marcos Llorente and Grimaldo in wide roles, which is a prediction rather than a confirmed line-up.
Previous meetings
Atletico knocked United out of the Champions League in March 2022. The first leg in Madrid finished 1-1, with Anthony Elanga equalising after Joao Felix gave the home side an early lead. Atletico then won 1-0 at Old Trafford through a Renan Lodi goal, going through 2-1 on aggregate. Simeone was in charge for both matches. The clubs also met in the 1991-92 European Cup Winners’ Cup, when Atletico won 4-1 on aggregate.
Match details
The game kicks off at 8pm BST on Tuesday 13 October at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano. It is on Amazon Prime Video in the UK, with coverage from 6.30pm, and on BBC Radio 5 Live and talkSPORT. US viewers can stream it on Paramount+.
