Carrick hints at possible Mainoo return for Manchester United vs Chelsea Premier League clash

Manchester United manager Michael Carrick said he was disappointed to be without suspended centre-backs Lisandro ​Martinez and Harry Maguire in Saturday’s Premier League 2025-26 game at ‌Chelsea, with both teams eyeing a Champions League spot.

Martinez ​was sent off during Monday’s 2-1 loss ⁠at home to Leeds United for pulling striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s hair. The Argentina international later got a three-match ban.

Maguire, sent off during ‌a draw at Bournemouth last month, was given a one-match ban by the FA on Wednesday.

“The decisions ‌have been made, something that we’re really disappointed ‌with ⁠in many ways, but we’ve got to move ⁠on now, and that’s what we’ll do,” Carrick told reporters on Friday.

“It is what it is, we’ve been hit with some decisions but we ​have to accept it and ‌move on,” he added.

However, midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, who has been injured for over two weeks, could return on Saturday, Carrick said. “Kobbie has done little bits, we’re working towards it. There’s ‌a decision to be made there,” he noted.

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United, ​third in the league, has won only one of its last four matches, but Carrick said ⁠his team can take heart from its performance under pressure in recent games.

Carrick’s side fought back with 10 men against ‌Leeds, scoring a second-half goal before falling short.

“We didn’t get the result we wanted against Leeds, but the way we finished the game and the character we showed, we have to take that into this game with an extra player,” he said.

Chelsea, four points below the top five, has also struggled over the last month, losing five of its six matches ​in all competitions, including three straight Premier League losses.

But Carrick said he expected a tough game, ⁠with United being winless at Stamford Bridge since February 2020.

“It’s a ⁠tough place to go, always has been. We’ve had some tough games down there. It has ‌the feelings of a real, proper game, so we’ll be ready for that. We’ve prepared well and take ​the confidence from what we’ve built,” he said.

Published on Apr 17, 2026