United team news from Michael Carrick’s Friday briefing is mixed: Manchester United will be without Patrick Dorgu and Benjamin Sesko against Tottenham.
Dorgu is expected to miss a number of weeks following his international-duty injury. Sesko is further away from a return and will not be ready for Saturday 10th October’s match at Old Trafford.
United team news: Dorgu out, Mazraoui being checked
Carrick described the picture after the extended international break as mixed. In United’s official team-news report, he said Dorgu had come off for his country and looked set to be out for weeks.
Noussair Mazraoui also took a knock while away. Carrick said the defender was not quite right yet and that United would see how he was. That leaves his availability uncertain rather than confirmed.
Manuel Ugarte also remains out, according to the club.
Training returns do not settle selection
Amad, Marcus Rashford and Kobbie Mainoo have each done some training, Carrick said. He did not confirm that any of the three would start or be available for the match.
That distinction matters after the international break. A return to some training gives the manager more information, but it does not by itself establish match fitness.
Sesko’s position is clearer. Carrick said the striker was further away with his issue and would not be ready for Spurs.
Photo: East stand at Old Trafford by Richard Humphrey, CC BY-SA 2.0, cropped.
Baleba improving before Spurs visit
Carlos Baleba has trained a lot and is improving, according to Carrick, which is the brightest part of the United team news for midfield. He could make his United debut, but the manager’s update does not confirm a place in the starting side. Read our report on Baleba’s potential United debut for the background.
The match kicks off at 5.30pm BST and is live on Sky Sports in the UK. Our United v Spurs viewing guide has the practical details.
For United supporters, the key decisions now concern the full-back options and how far the returning players have progressed. The United team news from Carrick’s briefing supplies firm absences for Dorgu and Sesko, but it leaves several other selection questions open.
Watch Carrick’s current pre-Spurs press conference on United’s official site.
Featured photo: Michael Carrick – July 2015 by Matt Janzer, CC BY-SA 2.0, cropped. Taken in 2015.
