Carrick will be concerned: £112m duo miss Man Utd training ahead of Aston Villa game

Manchester United may have been dealt another worrying setback ahead of their pivotal Premier League showdown with Aston Villa this Sunday.

Both sides currently sit on 51 points, meaning their clash at Old Trafford could prove decisive in the fiercely contested race for a top-four finish.

According to journalist Samuel Luckhurst, Mason Mount or Lisandro Martinez were absent from Man United training in midweek.

It was reported earlier this week that Martinez may not be available for the Villa encounter due to a delay in his recovery from a calf setback.

He missed the trip to Everton last month with initial expectations indicating he would return within two weeks. It now seems he may not return to the starting XI before the league clash against Leeds United next month.

The £56.7 million signing has endured a frustrating campaign plagued by injuries. He missed the start of the season with an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, only returning to action in November 2025.

He delivered strong performances under manager Michael Carrick, showing why he is regarded as one of the best ball-playing defenders in the league.

Without him in the side, United often struggle to progress the ball cleanly from deep positions.

Mount enjoyed an encouraging first half of the season, adding creativity and fluid movement to United’s attacking play.

However, recent injuries have reminded the club why they cannot rely on him.

Signed for £55 million from Chelsea in 2023, Mount has made just 66 appearances for the Red Devils so far.
That figure looks even less convincing when considering the limited number of matches he has actually started.

Mount picked up a knock in training ahead of the clash against Fulham at the beginning of February.

Initially viewed as a minor setback, the injury has now forced the attacking midfielder to miss six consecutive matches.

Patrick Dorgu and Matthijs de Ligt are long-term absentees and may not return before next month.

Carrick must now find creative solutions as United risk losing momentum in their push for a strong finish to the season.

Stats from Transfermarkt.com

Article written by Sanidhya Bhardwaj .