Manchester United have had a poor start to their season with just two wins in ten games in all competitions, and Michael Carrick has got some major questions to answer.

The Reds were held to a 1-1 draw against old rivals Leeds United at Elland Road on Sunday, and will now be heading to Italy to take on Cesc Fabregas' Como in the Champions League on Wednesday evening, as they look to end a run of six games without a win.

But the team will be forced to head into the game with a number of injury concerns, and a weakened team as a result, following incidents that have happened over the last week.

United were beaten 2-0 by Atletico Madrid in their last Champions League game, with young defender Leny Yoro shown a controversial red card late on that will mean he is suspended for the clash with Como.

That game was followed by a huge outburst by Argentine star Lisandro Martinez against the board, with a meeting taking place behind-the-scenes in the aftermath which saw him make a public apology. The experienced centre-back then started against Leeds, but was forced off with an injury at half-time in another blow to the boss.

They will now join Patrick Dorgu, Luke Shaw, Kobbie Mainoo, Benjamin Sesko, and Manuel Ugarte on the sidelines, while Matthijs De Ligt hasn't played since November 2025, and Noussair Mazraoui only returned from an injury as a substitute this past weekend.

The situation has sparked the fury of many fans, who were unhappy at the lack of investment in the transfer window during the summer, with the defence an area that clearly needed some reinforcements. But they never arrived, and INEOS are now reaping what they sowed as a result.

Reports suggest that the plan is for United to rebuild the defence in 2027, just like they did the attack in 2025 and the midfield in 2026, but one United star has the opportunity to prove that he is capable of being a big part of this club's future, starting with the Como clash.

Heaven Can Be Long-Term Martinez Replacement

The belief of many at Old Trafford is that Lisandro Martinez and Harry Maguire will both be leaving the club in the summer when their current contracts expire, which means new centre-backs will be a necessity in the window.

One player who has been strongly linked is Everton star Jarrad Branthwaite, who was a target several years ago too. But since then, United have brought in Ayden Heaven from Arsenal, and he has largely impressed whenever he has played.

A strong, fast, and technical left-footed centre-back, Heaven looks set to start against Como in the absence of Martinez and Yoro. He's a player who has earned the praise of Carrick previously and has shown his quality in big games.

A top performance in what will be a tough game is something that could see him earn a run in the team, and if he can maintain that level, it's possible that INEOS look at alternative options to ensure they don't stunt his development and growth. INEOS are well known to like to save on cash where they can, and Heaven's performances could see them save millions.