Manchester United Injury Updates Before Hull Opener

Manchester United head into the new Premier League season with a clearer – if complicated – injury picture, as Michael Carrick weighed up his options before Saturday’s lunchtime trip to Hull City at the MKM Stadium.

A week on from a chaotic 4-2 defeat to Milan in Wroclaw, where several senior players were missing, United’s squad is slowly knitting back together. Some are ready to return. One is nowhere near. Others sit in that uneasy middle ground.

Sesko finally back in the pack

The headline boost comes up front. Benjamin Sesko, absent for the whole of pre-season, is back.

The striker’s shin problem cut short his debut campaign in early May after he aggravated an issue he had been managing for months, notably in the win over Liverpool at Old Trafford. That setback wiped out his summer and left United without their leading forward throughout their warm-up schedule.

This week, the picture changed.

“Ben [Sesko] is back training, so that's another positive. Looking forward to having him back around the group and getting him some minutes as well,” Carrick said on Thursday.

Full training at Carrington means Sesko is in contention again, even if match sharpness will take time. For a side that looked short of a cutting edge in Poland, his return could not be better timed.

Darlow steps up as goalkeeping injuries bite

At the other end of the pitch, there is quiet relief.

Karl Darlow, signed this summer and yet to make his United debut, has also rejoined full training after surgery at the end of last season. The former Leeds United goalkeeper played through to the end of his contract there and even featured for Wales in early June before being ruled out for the summer.

With Radek Vitek leaving for Middlesbrough and Tom Heaton sidelined, Carrick has been forced to lean on Dermot Mee behind first-choice Senne Lammens in recent friendlies.

Now Darlow is back in the frame.

“Karl has trained this week. He's back training, so he's in good shape,” Carrick confirmed, a line that opens the door for the 33-year-old to make the bench at Hull and restore some order to United’s goalkeeping hierarchy.

That matters even more given the news on Heaton.

The veteran picked up what looked like a minor issue against Paris Saint-Germain a fortnight ago when Mee replaced him. Initial calm has faded. The problem is more serious than first thought and Heaton now faces several weeks out.

Darlow’s return suddenly feels crucial rather than convenient.

Ugarte the one long-term casualty

The one clear long-term absentee is Manuel Ugarte.

The midfielder underwent knee ligament surgery after suffering an injury while playing for Uruguay at this summer’s World Cup. United confirmed the operation went well and that he has started the rehabilitation phase, under close supervision from the club’s medical and performance staff.

Ugarte addressed the setback with a message of thanks, saying he was “incredibly grateful to Uruguay and Man Utd” and promising to come back stronger.

For Carrick, though, the reality is simple: Ugarte will not be part of the early months of this season. United must build without him.

Mount on the brink

Mason Mount sits in that frustrating “almost there” category.

A foot injury in the 1-1 draw with PSG earlier this month forced him off after just 20 minutes in Gothenburg, replaced by Tyler Fletcher. Since then, Mount has missed two more games. Andrey Santos started in midfield against Leeds, with Youri Tielemans partnering his fellow new signing last weekend.

Carrick hinted that Mount’s wait might be about to end.

“We are managing Mason [Mount] a little bit, but he's very close, so it's touch-and-go for the weekend, really, if not going into next week,” he said.

That leaves Carrick with a decision: risk Mount at Hull or hold him back for the fixtures that follow. Either way, his return is no longer a distant prospect.

De Ligt back on the grass, but not yet in the team

At centre-back, there is another cautious positive.

Matthijs de Ligt is training again after back surgery that ruled him out of the final six months of last season. His last appearance came in late November. Since then, it has been a long, slow road.

Now he is back on the grass, moving freely, part of the group again – but not ready for competitive action.

“Matt [De Ligt] has obviously been out for a long period of time, but he's training and great to have him back. Well, he won't be involved, but he's in good shape and moving in a good direction, so that's really a good bonus for us, really, at this stage, to have him back,” Carrick explained.

United will not rush him. After half a year out, the priority is to build him up properly, with the season stretching long beyond this opening weekend.

So Carrick travels to the MKM Stadium with a squad that looks different to the one that stumbled in Wroclaw: Sesko back, Darlow available, Mount edging closer, De Ligt re-emerging, Ugarte and Heaton watching from afar.

The first team sheet of a new campaign always tells a story. On Saturday, United’s will reveal just how bold Carrick is prepared to be with his returning stars.