Manchester United are notably short on defensive options for this weekend’s Premier League trip to Chelsea , with Leny Yoro now added to the list of absentees.
Michael Carrick’s side head to Stamford Bridge on Saturday night for an important late-season clash between top-six rivals still without Harry Maguire , who has received an additional one-match suspension from the Football Association (FA).
Maguire will remain unavailable against Chelsea, having been hit with an extra one-game ban for what he said to the fourth official following his dismissal at the Vitality Stadium, which led to an FA charge of improper conduct.
To compound United’s worsening defensive headache, Lisandro Martinez was also red-carded on his return from a calf injury against Leeds for pulling the hair of striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin - a decision an angry Carrick described as “one of the worst I've seen” .
Martinez will serve a three-match ban and miss games against Chelsea, Brentford and Liverpool, with United having failed with their appeal against the dismissal.
Yoro’s injury, which may rule him out for the remainder of the season , will force Carrick to get creative as he picks his team.
The 19-year-old Ayden Heaven is now his only fit senior centre-back.
Manuel Ugarte served as a makeshift after Martinez’s red card against Leeds, and he may be forced into a longer stint here, with Luke Shaw also an option.
Should the Briton be recalled, Noussair Mazraoui could slot into the side.
Kobbie Mainoo missed the Leeds defeat with an issue that Carrick insisted was not serious.
“Kobbie is doing little bits, he's working toward it, he's doing bits, so there's a decision to be made,” Carrick said of Mainoo’s availability on Friday.
Amad Diallo, Bruno Fernandes and Matheus Cunha should all start again in attack, with Bryan Mbeumo potentially replacing Benjamin Sesko up front.
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Patrick Dorgu is not yet ready to return from a hamstring injury.
“Patrick won't be [available],” Carrick said.
“He's doing well, rehabbing well and he's kind of on track, but he's not with us in terms of training.
“He's back on the pitch, which is positive and he's doing really well.”
Predicted Man Utd XI (4-2-3-1): Lammens; Dalot, Shaw, Heaven, Mazraoui; Casemiro, Ugarte; Amad, Fernandes, Cunha; Mbeumo
Time and date: 8pm BST on Saturday April 18, 2026
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Source: This article was originally published by Evening Standard
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