Carrick confirms fresh injury blow as Man Utd favourite who’s made five starts now out for a ‘number of weeks’

Michael Carrick has provided an unfortunate injury update on Carlos Baleba.

The Manchester United manager spoke to reporters at Carrington this afternoon in his pre-match press conference, confirming that the midfielder would be out of action for a ‘number of weeks’.

“Won’t be over the international break,” Carrick added. “It will be longer than that.”

Baleba was withdrawn just minutes into the second half of United’s clash with AS Roma on Tuesday night.

He made an impressive run into the area before pulling up with a hamstring injury right before he was about to shoot, then dropped to the floor in evident pain while he waited to receive treatment.

After being replaced by Youri Tielemans, the Cameroon international hobbled off the pitch and headed straight down the tunnel.

It comes as a substantial blow to Carrick and the player himself, given he was made to wait until October 10 to make his competitive debut for the club.

An ankle ligament problem that he sustained in pre-season with Brighton and Hove Albion kept him sidelined for the beginning of his Red Devils career, and he has since racked up only seven appearances – five of which were as a starter.

Alas, Baleba now looks nailed-on to miss United’s first match back in action after the break, which is against Liverpool at Anfield on November 22.

It’s then a return to Champions League action on the 25th of the month when the side travels to Portugal to take on Sporting Lisbon, where they’ll be looking to claim the third win of their UCL campaign.