Man United injury latest ahead of Man City clash: Luke Shaw, Carlos Baleba and more

Man United injury latest ahead of Man City clash: Luke Shaw, Carlos Baleba and more Manchester United Injury Update Ahead of Manchester City Derby Manchester United won 4-0 in Europe on Thursday night and still came out of it with the same problem they carried into the game, availability. Results can flatter the surface. Fitness tells you more. With Manchester City next, Michael Carrick has decisions to make and very little margin for error. The biggest immediate concern is Luke Shaw. He missed the midweek match after starting United’s first three Premier League games of the season, and while the issue does not look severe, it is enough to put his status for the derby under scrutiny. That matters because Shaw gives United balance on the left, experience in possession and a degree of control that others in the squad do not always provide. Patrick Dorgu stepped in at left-back and took his chance well, producing a performance that caught the eye and earned the official UEFA player of the match award. Useful for him, useful for Carrick, but the real question remains whether United can afford to go into a Manchester derby without one of their senior defenders. Luke Shaw fitness latest before Man City Shaw was not seen in training before the Sabah fixture and his absence was no surprise by kick-off. He had come off after 73 minutes against Everton, officially with cramp, and United chose not to push it. Carrick made the thinking clear before Thursday’s game, saying, “It’s a little bit of that [managing him]. He came off the other day [at Everton] with a little bit of cramp. We didn’t want to take any risks really. “We tried to manage him so we will see how he is after this one.” That is sensible, though not especially revealing. At this stage, the expectation is that Shaw still has a chance of making Sunday’s derby. Whether he starts is a different matter. There is a difference between being fit enough for the bench and fit enough to deal with City’s movement for 90 minutes. United host Brighton in the Carabao Cup after that, then travel to Fulham before the international break, so Carrick will weigh the immediate need against the obvious risk of another setback. Dorgu’s display gives him cover. It does not solve the problem. Replacing Shaw for one game in Europe is one thing. Replacing him against City is another. Carlos Baleba and midfield issues Carlos Baleba remains unavailable and, for now, still unseen in a United shirt. The £70 million signing from Brighton arrived with an ankle ligament injury suffered in pre-season against Strasbourg, which meant this was always likely to be a delayed start. There is no mystery here, just timing. Carrick had already explained the issue, saying, “He’s got a little ankle issue. So, maybe a couple of weeks or so, maybe three weeks, we’ll see. But we knew that before, so it’s no major issue. “It’ll be great to have him back when we can. We’re delighted with Carlos. I think huge potential, massive potential. I think it’s a really exciting signing for us.” All true, and all fine, but United would clearly rather have him available now. Baleba was signed for his athleticism, intensity and ability to cover ground in midfield. Those are useful qualities in any game, and especially useful against City. He is unlikely to feature this weekend and his debut may have to wait a little longer, with the trip to Fulham looking the most realistic target at present. There are midfield concerns elsewhere too. Manuel Ugarte remains out long term after cruciate ligament surgery following Uruguay duty in June. That is a major absence, full stop. United may have been open to moving him on in the summer, but once that injury happened, the season changed for him and for the club. His return is not expected until 2027. Youri Tielemans was withdrawn at half-time on Thursday, though the context mattered, with Mason Mount given the second half to build fitness. It did not look like panic, but with City next, every substitution invites inspection. Amad Diallo and Matthijs de Ligt recovery timelines Amad Diallo remains sidelined after suffering an ankle problem in training before the opening day defeat at Hull. That absence came out of nowhere and there still is no precise timeframe from Carrick. The broad expectation is that he could miss several more weeks, potentially returning after the international break. Photo: IMAGO That is a blow because Amad offers unpredictability and one-against-one quality in the final third, qualities United can lack when matches become rigid. For a team still trying to find rhythm early in the season, losing him narrows the options. Matthijs de Ligt is closer, which is the better news. He has not played since November last year because of a lower back issue that was initially treated as manageable and eventually required surgery in March. United have taken a cautious approach, understandably. Carrick’s comments suggest progress without promising too much: “It’s positive. Matta [De Ligt] has trained really well. I think when you’re out for such a long period of time and you get right to the final stages and you push and you push, you’ve got to manage that last stage. It’s important. “We’ve got to get that balance right for when to take the next step. But he’s on a good track, he’s in a good place, and it’s great to have him back around us, and hopefully it’ll be sometime soon.” That usually means not this game, but soon. Brighton in the cup or Fulham away looks more realistic than City at home. Squad availability and derby outlook Tom Heaton is also still out after a hamstring injury picked up in pre-season, and there has been little significant movement on that front. As third-choice goalkeeper, his absence does not shape the derby, though it does thin the squad further. So this is where United stand before facing City. Shaw is the headline concern, Baleba is not ready, Amad remains out, De Ligt is nearing a return, Ugarte is a long-term absentee and Heaton is unavailable. None of this guarantees trouble, but it limits choice, and elite games are often decided by the quality of the choices a manager can make before kick-off and from the bench. United’s 4-0 win over Sabah did its job. It restored some momentum, allowed fringe players to contribute and gave Dorgu a strong platform. It did not clear the injury list. Carrick now waits on Shaw, and that wait matters. Against Manchester City, small physical doubts have a habit of becoming big football problems.