Manchester United Predicted XI vs Como: Yoro Suspended, Martinez Doubtful

Manchester United travel to Como in the Champions League on Wednesday, October 21, kick-off 5.45pm BST at Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia, with Michael Carrick facing a defensive injury crisis. Leny Yoro is suspended and Lisandro Martinez is a major doubt, forcing a reshuffled back line.

  • Competition: Champions League, matchday three
  • Kick-off: 5.45pm BST, Wednesday, October 21
  • Venue: Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia, Como
  • Key absence: Leny Yoro suspended after red card vs Atletico Madrid
  • Major doubt: Lisandro Martinez (thigh) after coming off at half-time vs Leeds
  • Predicted XI: Lammens; Mazraoui, Maguire, De Ligt, Dalot; Baleba, Tielemans, Santos; Mbeumo, Fernandes, Cunha

Confirmed line-ups

No official team sheets have been released yet. The following is the predicted Manchester United XI based on the source article.

Manchester United (4-3-3)

Starting XI: Lammens; Mazraoui, Maguire, De Ligt, Dalot; Baleba, Tielemans, Santos; Mbeumo, Fernandes, Cunha

Substitutes: Not yet confirmed.

Selection notes

Leny Yoro is suspended after his red card in the 2-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid. Lisandro Martinez picked up a thigh problem against Leeds, went off at half-time, and is a major doubt. Harry Maguire is the obvious constant at centre-back. Matthijs de Ligt is the likely solution alongside him, despite having gone close to a year without competitive football for United. Noussair Mazraoui is expected to come in for Yoro, with Diogo Dalot continuing on the other side.

Injury and availability

  • Leny Yoro: Suspended (red card vs Atletico Madrid)
  • Lisandro Martinez: Major doubt (thigh, off at half-time vs Leeds)
  • Kobbie Mainoo: Absent from squad vs Leeds
  • Luke Shaw: Absent from squad vs Leeds
  • Ayden Heaven: Absent from squad vs Leeds
  • Marcus Rashford: Named on bench vs Leeds but did not come on; missed open training
  • Benjamin Sesko: Unavailable
  • Patrick Dorgu: Unavailable
  • Manuel Ugarte: Unavailable
  • Tom Heaton: Absent

Carrick could be without as many as 10 senior players for matchday three.

Why Carrick must abandon the false nine experiment

Against Leeds, Bruno Fernandes operated as a false nine and it worked reasonably well for one half. The movement caused problems and gave the attack unpredictability. After the break, United offered much less threat and the idea lost momentum. That points towards a more direct setup against Como.

Matheus Cunha is pushing to start and looks the obvious candidate to freshen up the front line, possibly at the expense of Amad Diallo. If Carrick goes that way, Bryan Mbeumo and Cunha can provide the running, with Fernandes still central to everything in advanced areas.

Behind them, the midfield of Carlos Baleba, Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos is expected to stay intact for a third straight match. It offers control and energy, which United badly need given the instability elsewhere. The back line is functional but hardly reassuring, especially with De Ligt's lack of match sharpness.

Talking points

  • Is starting De Ligt after nearly a year without competitive football a risk worth taking in a must-win European away game?
  • Should Carrick persist with Fernandes as a false nine or start Cunha through the middle from the off?
  • With 10 senior players missing, is the squad depth at United now a bigger problem than the starting XI?
  • Can a makeshift defence of Mazraoui, Maguire, De Ligt and Dalot hold together long enough to get a result?

What happens next

United face Como on Wednesday, October 21 at 5.45pm BST. The result will shape their Champions League campaign and increase scrutiny on Carrick, whose side are winless in six after the 1-1 draw with Leeds. A defeat would leave United with serious questions over their European hopes and the manager's position.

Frequently asked questions

Is Leny Yoro available for Manchester United vs Como?

No, Yoro is suspended after his red card in the 2-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid.

Who will start at centre-back for Manchester United vs Como?

Harry Maguire is expected to start, with Matthijs de Ligt likely to partner him if Lisandro Martinez fails to recover from a thigh problem.

What time is kick-off for Manchester United vs Como?

Kick-off is at 5.45pm BST on Wednesday, October 21 at Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia.

Filed under: Predicted Lineups | LA Premier League Home