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According to a report by Evening Standard on Monday, November 9, 2026, Manchester United are dealing with renewed injury concerns after their 4-4 draw against Aston Villa, with Harry Maguire, Carlos Baleba and Marcus Rashford among the players currently unavailable. The latest setbacks come at a difficult time for Michael Carrick, whose team are entering the international break under mounting pressure.
United remain in the Premier League relegation zone following another disappointing result at Old Trafford. Although they recovered from two separate two-goal deficits to earn a point against Villa, their defensive problems and inconsistent displays have continued to raise questions about Carrick's future.
The club's injury situation has added to those difficulties, with several important players facing spells on the sidelines as United approach a crucial stage of the campaign.
Maguire became the latest concern after being substituted at half-time during Sunday's meeting with Aston Villa. The England defender had overcome an earlier knock to start the match, despite appearing to experience discomfort towards the end of United's Champions League victory over Roma.
However, a back problem prevented him from continuing against Villa. Speaking after the match, Carrick confirmed that Maguire had experienced a painful spasm during the first half.
"Harry had a bad back. A really bad back spasm that he had with maybe 10-15 minutes to go in the first half," the United manager told MUTV.
"I don't know how bad it is but, going into the internationals, there should be plenty of time for him to recover."
The international break is expected to provide Maguire with valuable time to recover before United return to Premier League action. The defender could be available for the meeting with Liverpool on November 22, although his involvement will depend on the progress he makes over the coming days.
Baleba is another absentee whose situation has created concern. The summer arrival sustained a hamstring injury during United's Champions League win over Roma last week, leaving him facing several more weeks out of action.
The midfielder had only recently begun making an impression after arriving at Old Trafford with an existing injury problem. His latest setback is therefore particularly frustrating for Carrick, who is seeking greater consistency and stability in midfield.
Providing an update before the Villa fixture, the manager admitted that the club had not yet established the full extent of Baleba's injury.
"Carlos we don't know exactly [the severity], but it'll be a number of weeks yet," he said.
"Definitely not this week and not over the international break, it will be a little bit longer yet."
Baleba is consequently not expected to return until December 2026, meaning United must manage without him for several upcoming fixtures.
Rashford's situation remains another unresolved issue. The England international has been struggling with a persistent hip injury that has kept him out since United's 2-0 defeat against Atletico Madrid last month.
There had been hopes that he would recover in time to face Aston Villa, but he was ultimately unavailable. He will now continue working on his fitness during the international break, although the club have not provided a confirmed return date.
Carrick recently explained that Rashford's recovery would be assessed regularly, saying: "Marcus, we will just have to see, day by day, how he keeps improving."
The forward could return for the Liverpool fixture on November 22 if his rehabilitation continues positively. However, United will wait to assess his condition before determining whether he is ready to feature.
With Maguire, Baleba and Rashford all facing fitness concerns, Carrick has important decisions to make as he prepares his squad for the next stage of the season.