Mazraoui forced off for Morocco to hand United a third injury blow of the international break

Noussair Mazraoui became the third Manchester United player to suffer an injury during the international break after being forced off in the 69th minute of Morocco’s 2-0 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying victory over Lesotho on Tuesday.

The 28-year-old defender went down holding his back following a challenge with Lesotho midfielder Neo Mokhachane. Team-mates immediately signalled to the Moroccan bench that he could not continue, and Mazraoui was replaced by Achraf Hakimi. He had been in fine form before the setback, having scored in Morocco’s 2-0 win against Gabon the previous Friday.

The news compounds a difficult fortnight for United manager Michael Carrick. Bruno Fernandes was ruled out of Portugal’s clash with Norway on Sunday, though the United captain is understood to have been playing through pain for several weeks and could return when Portugal face Denmark on Thursday. Patrick Dorgu, meanwhile, picked up a suspected hamstring injury while on duty with Denmark.

The injury concerns stretch further. Before the international break, Kobbie Mainoo, Marcus Rashford, and Benjamin Sesko all withdrew from their respective national squads. Mainoo and Rashford had both started United’s 1-1 draw at Fulham, making their absences a surprise. Sesko, who missed that match, is managing a setback in his recovery from a long-term shin problem.

Slovenia manager Bostjan Cesar offered an update on the striker’s condition: “This isn’t an easy time for Benjamin. He is going through a difficult period in his career, as we know he hasn’t suffered many injuries in the past. It is an atypical injury that requires time to heal. The most important thing now is for Sesko to surround himself with people he trusts and believes in, and for everyone around him to remain positive.”

United have 11 days before they return to Premier League action, when they host Tottenham at Old Trafford. Carrick’s side have collected just five points from their opening five league games and were eliminated from the Carabao Cup in the third round at home to Brighton. Defensively, they have conceded 11 goals across seven games in all competitions, with their only clean sheet coming in a 4-0 Champions League win against Sabah — a match in which Mazraoui played the full 90 minutes.