The international break has yielded mixed fortunes for Manchester United. Michael Carrick was finally able to field Carlos Baleba and Matthijs de Ligt in a friendly against Swiss side Lausanne.
United made good use of the break with a friendly against Lausanne, both clubs owned by INEOS, allowing Carrick to assess his squad and provide vital game time to players returning from injury.
Carlos Baleba, who joined from Brighton for a hefty £70 million, has yet to make his official debut. After being left on the bench during the fixture against Fulham, he was unable to take to the pitch. Carrick has previously commented on the young midfielder's eagerness to make an impact.
On the other hand, Matthijs de Ligt did make an appearance against the Swiss. The Dutch defender hadn’t featured in competitive matches since November 2025, under former manager Ruben Amorim, and underwent back surgery in May to address chronic issues.
He is expected to be fit for the upcoming Premier League clash against Tottenham, which is a much-needed boost for Carrick.
However, not all news is good. Marcus Rashford and Kobbie Mainoo both had to leave the England camp early. Rashford is struggling with a recurring hip issue, while the reason behind Mainoo's early departure remains unconfirmed.
Benjamin Sesko also missed out on international duty with Slovenia due to a shin injury, reaching out to fans about his commitment to return as soon as possible to assist both his national team and club.
I am already working hard to get back on the pitch and help the national team and my club as soon as possible.
Patrick Dorgu played just half an hour against Wales before suffering a hamstring injury, and Noussair Mazraoui also fell victim to an injury during the game against Lesotho. Both defenders have returned to training ground for recovery ahead of the crucial encounter with Spurs.
