Michael Carrick has given an update on Matthijs de Ligt and the rest of the Manchester United squad ahead of Sunday’s match against Fulham at Old Trafford.
The 44-year-old spoke to the media from Carrington on Friday afternoon as his team continues their preparations for another crucial fixture in the Premier League schedule.
Carrick’s interim spell as head coach has got off to a flying start, with United stringing together back-to-back Premier League wins.
He oversaw a 2-0 victory over Manchester City at Old Trafford before following that up with another win over Arsenal just a few days later.
Arsenal went up 1-0 in front of their own fans, but United found a way back into it. They turned it around in the second half, sealing an impressive 3-2 win over Mikel Arteta’s team.
Man Utd interim boss Michael Carrick on Matthijs de Ligt ahead of Fulham’s Premier League visit to Old Trafford
Carrick confirmed that De Ligt remains sidelined, with the Dutch defender still some way from returning to first-team action.
Patrick Dorgu has also joined the injury list after picking up a hamstring problem in the 3-2 win over Arsenal.
But there was better news regarding Joshua Zirkzee, who has returned to training after recovering from a muscle issue.
“Josh is back training,” he revealed (via Manchester Evening News).
“He has been out for a short amount of time. Pat, unfortunately, is going to be out for a period of time.
“Disappointing because he has had a good couple of weeks, it is looking serious. A few weeks out, we will have to see.
“It is part of football. De Ligt is not training with us.”
Michael Carrick shakes up the Premier League top-four race
United moved into the top four following impressive wins over title contenders Manchester City and Arsenal.
They now sit fourth in the table, eight points behind both third-placed Aston Villa and second-placed City, going into their match against Fulham.
However, Chelsea are just one point back in fifth, so a positive result against Fulham would be important for United to maintain their position.
Marco Silva’s side, currently seventh, have won four of their last five matches. They are expected to provide another solid challenge for Carrick’s team.
The match at Old Trafford is set to kick off at 2pm on Sunday afternoon in the UK.
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