Manchester United's Injury Concerns After AC Milan Defeat
Manchester United’s pre-season ended with a defeat to AC Milan and a familiar headache for Michael Carrick: an injury list that refuses to clear before the Premier League kicks off.
The 2-1 loss itself will quickly fade. The fitness bulletin will not.
Carrick went into the game already stripped of several senior players and, for a few uneasy seconds against Milan, it looked as though the situation might worsen when Matheus Cunha hit the turf and called for treatment.
Cunha scare eases
The stadium held its breath. Cunha stayed down, the medical team rushed on, and the prospect of another attacking absentee loomed.
Then the Brazilian got up, ran it off and carried on.
He played past the hour mark before being withdrawn, showing no obvious after-effects of what has been described as a knock. United expect him to be available for the Premier League opener away to Hull City on August 22.
For Carrick, that’s one bullet dodged.
De Ligt steps up recovery – but no date yet
At the other end of the pitch, the wait goes on.
Matthijs de Ligt has not played for United since November after undergoing back surgery. The Dutch defender has now stepped up his rehabilitation, training back on grass and even travelling with the squad to the Republic of Ireland for this week’s camp.
It’s progress, but not a solution. United have given no indication of when he will be ready for competitive action, leaving his possible return date firmly in the “unknown” column and Carrick’s central defensive options still stretched.
Heaton facing weeks out
Behind them, there’s another problem.
Tom Heaton is set for a spell on the sidelines after pulling up with a hamstring injury in the friendly against PSG in Gothenburg. At the time, the issue looked minor; he was replaced by Dermot Mee without much fuss or visible alarm.
Subsequent assessment has painted a different picture. Heaton is expected to be out for at least a few weeks, with a potential target of the Everton game on September 6 for his return, depending on how the injury settles.
Mount a doubt for Hull
Mason Mount’s situation sits somewhere between relief and frustration.
When he walked off less than 20 minutes into the PSG clash, the fear was immediate: a serious setback. Those fears eased when he later left the stadium without a limp, but his absence since has underlined there was still an issue to manage.
Mount has missed both of United’s final pre-season friendlies, against Leeds and AC Milan. With no minutes in those games, he looks unlikely to start at Hull, though there is hope he could still make the matchday squad if he comes through this week’s work.
Sesko still short, Mbeumo ready
Up front, Benjamin Sesko remains in catch-up mode.
The Slovenian striker has been recovering from a shin injury sustained in the win over Liverpool in early May. The internal plan had been for him to feature in at least one of United’s late pre-season fixtures, but his omission from the squad against Milan confirmed that target has been missed.
That lack of game time leaves Sesko a long shot even to make the bench at Hull. Bryan Mbeumo is effectively locked in to start, with Sesko more realistically eyeing the Ipswich Town fixture on August 30 as a possible return date to the squad.
Ugarte faces the long road back
The most serious case in United’s medical room belongs to Manuel Ugarte.
The midfielder suffered a major knee ligament injury while playing for Uruguay in their World Cup defeat to Spain in June, leaving the pitch on a stretcher in what he described as one of the most painful moments of his career.
Ugarte later spoke publicly about “the most serious injury a footballer can face” and the emotional toll of being unable to help his country in such a significant match. His message was one of defiance and rebuilding, but the reality is stark: his possible return date is listed as 2027.
For Carrick, Ugarte is not just out for this season. He’s a long-term absence around which plans must be redrawn.
Darlow still waiting for a debut
Karl Darlow is another name on the list, albeit with a far less dramatic storyline.
The goalkeeper has been managing a pre-existing issue since signing for United. It is not thought to be serious, yet he did not feature in any of the club’s pre-season squads, leaving his competitive debut on hold and his exact return date unclear.
Hull away now looms with United still juggling absences, half-fit returnees and players racing the clock. Carrick has his system. What he doesn’t yet have is his full squad.
