Noussair Mazraoui added another problem to Manchester United's international break when he was forced off in Morocco's 2-0 win over Lesotho. He landed awkwardly, signalled towards the bench in discomfort and was replaced by Achraf Hakimi in the 68th minute. The setback comes with Michael Carrick already missing Marcus Rashford, Kobbie Mainoo, Amad Diallo, Benjamin Sesko and Patrick Dorgu.

Mazraoui's latest setback

The injury concern is still only a concern, not a diagnosis, but United can hardly welcome another one. Mazraoui has made 3 Premier League appearances this season and has been one of the names Carrick has needed for depth, even if his 6.15 rating has not made him a headline player. Losing another full-back option during an international window is awkward, especially with the squad already stretched.

United's league start has not given them much room for this kind of disruption. They have won just once in five matches, with 1 win, 2 draws and 2 defeats, and sit 12th in the Premier League with 5 points. Tottenham arrive at Old Trafford on October 10, then Atletico Madrid and Leeds follow in a demanding run that will test the depth around Carrick's side.

Fernandes adds to the concern

The other issue is Bruno Fernandes, and the situation around him has been described slightly differently by different outlets. Jorge Jesus said Fernandes came off against Wales with a complicated problem, and also said the midfielder has been playing with that pain for the last three games, which is hindering him. Fernandes withdrew from Portugal's squad to face Norway because of a shin problem described by Jesus as complicated.

Jesus also said Fernandes was among the two players the medical team identified as the most concerning. He added that the player who comes in gives as many guarantees as the one who might come off, and that he would base his decision on that. Fernandes has already made 5 Premier League appearances this season, so United are watching the same issue from a club angle as well as an international one.

The cleanest reading is that United are dealing with two separate fitness worries rather than one tidy update. Mazraoui's knock is the newest one, Fernandes is still being assessed, and Carrick heads towards Tottenham on October 10 with too many moving parts for comfort.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →