Michael Carrick has confirmed that Mason Mount is likely to miss Tuesday's Premier League encounter at West Ham United.
The Manchester United head coach expects to be without Mount and defender Matthijs de Ligt for the journey south, as the Reds take on the resurgent Hammers, looking for a fifth win on the spin since our former midfielder took charge.
Patrick Chinazaekpere Dorgu remains sidelined but, hopefully, the rest of the squad is still in good shape for what promises to be another test of character in the capital.
“Mason will be probably not for Tuesday, probably after, but definitely gone into the Everton game, he’ll be back,
“ said Carrick, during his press conference to preview the 20:15 GMT kick-off.
”Matta, we'll see how he develops over the, you know… the Everton game feels like a long time away at the moment, so we'll see how he develops, but he's positive, he's moving in the right direction, but Mason's a little bit closer than him.“
Our first visit to Hill Dickinson Stadium, our next game after Tuesday's clash, is not until Monday 23 February.
WEST HAM'S TEAM NEWS
Defender Jean-Clair Todibo serves the second of his three-match ban for a late red card in the 3-2 defeat to Chelsea.
Nuno Espirito Santo opted to recall Mads Hermansen in goal, ahead of Alphonse Areola, and the Dane responded with a clean sheet in the comfortable 2-0 victory at Burnley last time out. Another keeper, Lukasz Fabianski, has been injured.
There did appear to be no other fitness concerns for the in-form Hammers, who have won four of their last five games, but Nuno has suggested he has concerns.
“Unfortunately, we're going to have some players out,”
he said. “Yeah, knocks, and it is what it is. I'm not going to tell you who, sorry.”