Mainoo and Shaw doubts as Man Utd face late fitness calls before Atletico Madrid trip

Manchester United face a nervous wait over the fitness of Kobbie Mainoo and Luke Shaw ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League fixture at Atletico Madrid, with both players absent from the club’s final training session at Carrington on Monday morning.

Manager Michael Carrick and his squad flew to the Spanish capital on Monday afternoon, but a late decision is expected on whether either player will make the trip. Should Mainoo be ruled out, summer signing Carlos Baleba is in line for his first start having previously only appeared as a substitute.

Mainoo’s absence from the session follows his withdrawal from England duty, attributed to a combination of injury and workload management. With the season still in its early stages, United are reluctant to take risks with the midfielder.

Shaw’s fitness situation is a more persistent concern. United attempted to sign Lewis Hall in the summer as cover at left-back but failed to land him, leaving the club repeatedly scrambling for solutions whenever the England international is unavailable.

Defender Matthijs de Ligt, who has not featured for United since November 2025, did train on Monday but is not expected to be involved against Atletico.

United enter the game under significant pressure. Their Champions League campaign began brightly — a 4-0 win over Sabah at Old Trafford — but that result is one of only two victories in their opening eight games across all competitions this season, a run that has intensified scrutiny on Carrick.

Atletico Madrid represent a formidable test. Diego Simeone’s side sit second in La Liga and reached the Champions League semi-finals last season. The trip to the Metropolitano is the first of two difficult away fixtures this week, with a visit to Leeds following at the weekend.

Elland Road carries added significance: it was the last away ground Ruben Amorim visited before his dismissal, and Leeds — who beat United at Old Trafford earlier this season — have started the campaign in strong form, suffering their first defeat only on Saturday when they lost at Arsenal.

Former United captain Gary Neville issued a blunt warning to the squad. “The rest of them are going to have to get a grip because they are going to Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid and Elland Road,” he said. “If you’re not quite right there from a mental and physical perspective, you’re going to get found out.”