Manchester United Team News vs Como: 10 Senior Players Could Miss

Manchester United could be without 10 senior players for Champions League trip to Como

Manchester United travel to face Como in the Champions League on Wednesday night with Michael Carrick's squad stretched by a growing injury list, as Kobbie Mainoo, Luke Shaw, Ayden Heaven, Lisandro Martinez and Marcus Rashford all missed Tuesday's training session at Carrington.

Fixture: Como vs Manchester United, Champions League league phase
Venue: Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia, Como
Date: Wednesday night
Headline concern: United could be without up to 10 senior players
Context: United are recovering from a defeat to Atletico Madrid on matchday two
Opposition coach: Cesc Fabregas (Como)

Injury and availability

For the players left behind and those still being assessed, the picture is laid out clearly below.

Kobbie Mainoo: Absent from Tuesday's training; had already missed the 1-1 draw with Leeds.
Luke Shaw: Absent from training; also missed the Leeds draw.
Ayden Heaven: Absent from training; also missed the Leeds draw.
Lisandro Martinez: Fresh concern after going off at half-time with a thigh problem.
Marcus Rashford: Absent from training; his situation has been managed carefully in recent days.
Benjamin Sesko: Remains out as expected.
Patrick Dorgu: Remains out as expected.
Manuel Ugarte: Remains out as expected.
Tom Heaton: Also missed Tuesday's training.
Leny Yoro: Definitely unavailable after his red card in Madrid.

The scale of the problem is considerable. United could be missing a double-figure number of senior players for a competitive away match in Europe, and Carrick has decisions to make across defence, midfield and attack with very little margin for error.

What was said

"Marcus has been carrying a little bit of something so we're managing him to a point."
— Michael Carrick, on Marcus Rashford's fitness

That single line from Carrick on Rashford is instructive. It confirms a genuine issue while stopping short of ruling the forward out entirely, and the phrase "to a point" suggests United are weighing risk against reward rather than simply resting him.

Carrick was otherwise reserved. He is due to give a fuller team news update on Tuesday evening in Como, meaning the situation for several of the absentees remains unresolved until the manager speaks again.

Why Carrick's selection issues run through the whole team

The names on the absent list do not fall into one department, and that is what makes this so awkward. Lisandro Martinez has been a cornerstone of United's build-up from the left side of defence, and losing him to a thigh problem halfway through a match removes the most aggressive passing option at centre-back. With Luke Shaw and Ayden Heaven also unavailable, and Leny Yoro suspended after his red card in Madrid, the defensive options narrow sharply.

Midfield is arguably the bigger headache. Kobbie Mainoo missing leaves United short of a player comfortable receiving under pressure and turning away from it, while Manuel Ugarte remains out as expected, removing the ball-winning counterweight. Those two absences together change the shape of how United can press and how they progress the ball.

Up front, Marcus Rashford is being handled carefully and Benjamin Sesko remains out, which limits Carrick's ability to change the front line from the bench. Against a Como side coached by Cesc Fabregas, whose team will look to control possession and draw United onto them, the manager may have to lean on a more conservative, compact structure than he would like.

Talking points

Should Carrick risk Rashford given the phrase "carrying a little bit of something" suggests a genuine niggle that could become a longer-term problem?
With Yoro suspended and Martinez a fresh doubt, does United have enough pace at centre-back to handle Como in transition?
Missing both Mainoo and Ugarte leaves United light in central midfield — is a back-five a realistic escape route in Italy?
United need points after the Atletico Madrid defeat, so how much does Carrick prioritise this result over protecting players for the league?

What happens next

Michael Carrick is due to provide a fuller team news update on Tuesday evening in Como, which should clarify which of the doubtful players make the trip. The Champions League fixture itself follows on Wednesday night at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia. United are chasing points after the defeat to Atletico Madrid on matchday two, and the stakes are simple: they may have to pursue them with a weakened squad.