Nine players ruled out as United travel to Como with threadbare squad

Manchester United will be without nine first-team players for Wednesday’s Champions League trip to Como, with manager Michael Carrick confirming a wave of injuries and illness has swept through his squad ahead of the game in northern Italy.

Marcus Rashford and Lisandro Martinez both missed Tuesday morning’s training session before the squad flew to Milan. Rashford is being rested as he manages a niggling hip injury sustained during the World Cup, while Martinez is considered close to a return and could feature against Bournemouth on Sunday.

Luke Shaw and Kobbie Mainoo remain on the treatment table. Carrick indicated Mainoo is around ten days away from returning, with Shaw expected to take a little longer. Leny Yoro is suspended after his red card against Atletico Madrid last week.

Manuel Ugarte (knee), Patrick Dorgu (hamstring) and Benjamin Sesko (shin) are longer-term absentees, while teenager Ayden Heaven is absent with illness for the second consecutive game.

“A bit of a mixed bag to be honest,” Carrick said. “We’ve got quite a few missing. Licha’s not too bad, but he’s not with us, so we’ll have to see whether he’s ready for the weekend or not. Kobbie, we’re probably looking at another maybe 10 days or so, but not exact. Luke a little bit longer than that. A bit of injury and a bit of illness in the camp floating through us.”

Sesko has not featured since the Carabao Cup defeat to Brighton more than a month ago, having aggravated a hip injury that previously kept him out for almost four months over the summer. Carrick confirmed the club are still weighing up the best course of treatment and expect to make a decision by the end of the week.

“We’re hoping really soon that we’ll have a clear picture,” Carrick said. “Hopefully, next time we speak, maybe not tomorrow, but by the end of the week, we’ll have something a little bit clearer.”

With the squad stretched thin, youngsters Harry Amass, Jayden Kamason and Dan Armer have been included in the travelling party and could push for starts in defence. Dutch centre-back Matthijs de Ligt is also in line to make his first competitive appearance in nearly eleven months after a lengthy injury absence.

“He’s had such a long journey of maybe 11 months or so of being out, being patient, worked hard,” Carrick said of De Ligt. “We’re delighted to have him back.”