Michael Carrick has shed some light on Manchester United's injury problems of late.
The manager addressed reporters following Manchester United's 1-1 draw at Elland Road against rivals Leeds United yesterday.
(Photo via ManUtd on Twitter/X)
Post-match, Carrick said that the reason Lisandro Martinez had to be withdrawn at the interval was that he had suffered a 'thigh problem' in the first 45 minutes.
Keen to not make it any worse, the centre-half was hooked before play got back underway, with Noussair Mazraoui taking his place.

#leeds #post

Unlike many of his players, Michael Carrick has personal experience of the special nights at Old Trafford in the Champions League. This was scarcely one of them, but if Carrick had compiled a list of things he wanted from the evening, this must have ticked nearly every box. A perfect night? "Yeah, I think so," he said.
The fixture list made it a low-key comeback to the Champions League but Carrick was able to rest four players ahead of the Manchester derby, take off five more and chalk up a comfortable win. "Some of the football we played was really good," said Carrick. "We just did a lot of good things." Some players benefited. Matheus Cunha, who was fortunate to avoid a late red card for a studs-up challenge on Erivaldo Almeida, surely needed his first goal of the season. Benjamin Sesko marked his first start of the campaign with a second goal in a week.
Bruno Fernandes was instrumental as United put four past Sabah (Reuters)
In a sense, though, the most meaningful goal came from Bruno Fernandes. The captain was nominated for the Ballon d'Or even after a campaign when United were not in any continental competition. He showed a loyalty to United during their European exile. More than any other player, he dragged them back into the Champions League. It was fitting he scored on their return. Fernandes being Fernandes, it was also typical he was not among the rested or the removed.
Carrick has rarely needed to rotate since he took charge. Given this season's greater workload, this was something of a learning exercise. Patrick Dorgu played left-back for the first time under Carrick, excelled in attack and played a part in the first two goals, but revealed defensive deficiencies. Noussair Mazraoui, brought back in for Diogo Dalot, seemed to have a point to prove and looked lively going forward. A fit-again Mason Mount made a belated first appearance of the campaign in the second half. Andrey Santos, dropped after his ill-fated debut at Hull, got the final half-hour. The youngsters Harry Amass and Shea Lacey appeared for the last 20 minutes.

#league #played

Manchester United will welcome Ipswich Town at Old Trafford this Sunday as they look to secure a positive result at home in the Premier League. The Red Devils suffered a poor 2-0 loss away at Hull City in the opening weekend of this Premier League campaign, so they would be eager to bounce back by earning a win this weekend.
Michael Carrick will opt for the 4-2-3-1 formation and is expected to make one tweak to his first XI for this game. Diogo Dalot could play from the start of this game, while Noussair Mazraoui makes way for him and drops to the bench.
Senne Lammens will function in between the sticks for the Red Devils after conceding two goals in his last outing. Ayden Heaven will continue to operate alongside Harry Maguire at the heart of Carrick's defence as they look to keep a solid shape when defending inside his half.
Diogo Dalot will try to impress as the right-back, while Luke Shaw hopes to catch the eye on the other side as the left-back. Both of them will get the license to go forward and express themselves inside the opponent's half.
Noussair Mazraoui and Lisandro Martinez will offer cover for the defensive positions on the bench.

#league #noussair #weekend

Manchester United faced off against Hull City at the MKM Stadium earlier today as they hoped to secure a good result on the road in the Premier League. The Red Devils made a slow start to the game and conceded the opening goal in the 17th minute when Semi Ajayi found the back of the net. ****** el Mendy doubled his team's lead in the 38th minute as Man United went into the half-time break 2-0 down on the scoreline.
Michael Carrick's men failed to mount a comeback in the second 45 minutes and crashed to a poor 2-0 loss away from home.
Let's take a look at how each Manchester United player fared during the clash against Hull City.
He made a couple of solid saves at the back but won't be pleased after conceding twice in the first half.
RB; Noussair Mazraoui – 6.5/10

#united #manchester #hull #made

Hull City Official Line-ups:
Kostas Tzolakis, Lewie Coyle, John Egan, Semi Ajayi, ***** el Mendy, Ryan Giles, Regan Slater, Matt Crooks, Mohamed Belloumi, Oliver McBurnie, Elliot Stroud
Manchester United Official Line-ups:
Senne Lammens, Noussair Mazraoui, Harry Maguire, Ayden Heaven, Luke Shaw, Patrick Dorgu, Bruno Fernandes, Youri Tielemans, Andrey Santos, Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha
1':

#egan

Manchester United defender Noussair Mazraoui foresees a bright future for three of his young teammates who are knocking on the first-team door.
The 28-year-old has recently joined the club's summer camp following his post-World Cup vacation.
While he and other senior members of the squad were absent, several young MUFC starlets had the opportunity to make an impression on Michael Carrick, but only three appear to be destined for first-team opportunities this season.
In recent weeks, several reliable sources identified Shea Lacey and Tyler Fletcher as the most likely youngsters to be handed senior roles in the 2026/27 campaign, while others have added the other Fletcher twin, Jack, to the 'untouchable' list.
After arriving for the pre-season training camp in Dublin, Mazraoui opened up on his young Man Utd teammates while chatting with the press.

#young #first #several

Manchester United and PSG meet in a pre-season friendly on Saturday at the Ullevi Stadium.
Manchester United arrive with promising pre-season form under Michael Carrick. After a narrow 1-0 loss to Wrexham in their opening friendly, the Red Devils responded emphatically. They thrashed Rosenborg 5-0 and then claimed a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Atletico Madrid in Stockholm. Carrick's team have shown attacking fluency and are gaining momentum as several senior internationals return to the squad.
Carrick welcomes back several senior internationals following their World Cup breaks.
New signing Youri Tielemans is expected to make his first official appearance for United, while skipper Bruno Fernandes and full-backs Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui have travelled and could play.
Bryan Mbeumo is likely to lead the attack after scoring twice in the 2-1 win against Atletico. But the squad also has significant absences. Marcus Rashford, Kobbie Mainoo and Lisandro Martinez remain unavailable because of required post-World Cup rest.

#carrick #senior

Manchester United face Atletico Madrid at the Strawberry Arena in Stockholm on Saturday afternoon in their third pre-season fixture of the summer.
Michael Carrick has resisted the temptation to rotate heavily between friendlies, preferring to give first-team players sustained minutes as the new season approaches. Saturday's match against Atletico represents by far the sternest test of United's preparations and an important benchmark for where the squad stands heading into August.
A long list of World Cup participants remain unavailable. Bruno Fernandes, Diogo Dalot, Lisandro Martínez, Kobbie Mainoo, Matheus Cunha, Noussair Mazraoui and Marcus Rashford are all on extended post-tournament breaks and have not yet returned to Carrington.
Youri Tielemans completed his first training session at the club this week after arriving from Aston Villa in a £35m deal — but has been left out of the travelling squad for Stockholm. His debut will come in the coming days. Goalkeeper Senne Lammens is also not in the squad.
Benjamin Sesko is a major doubt with a shin injury that the club are carefully monitoring. Manuel Ugarte and Matthijs de Ligt are both sidelined with their own injury concerns and unavailable for selection. Amad Diallo has returned from his World Cup commitments with Ivory Coast and could feature in the squad.

#atletico #World #returned #injury

Manchester United defender Noussair Mazraoui gave a fine account of himself at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He was part of the Moroccan side that reached the quarter-finals of the tournament, where they were beaten by France.
Mazraoui featured in all six games at the summer's spectacle, starting all but one of them, and managed to impress in the left-back role. The 28 year old even filled in at centre-back against France in the quarter-finals, but failed to inspire his team to a win.
Nevertheless, the Moroccan left the tournament with his head held high and underlined why he remains highly regarded at Old Trafford. The player's versatility was already evident last season, when he operated at centre-back with aplomb in the 1-0 win over Chelsea.
His performance at the World Cup earned him further admirers across Europe. A previous report relayed by The Peoples Person suggests that former United head coach Ruben Amorim is keen for a reunion with the Moroccan in Serie A.
Mazraoui arrived at the Theatre of Dreams in the summer of 2024 from Bayern Munich and has registered 77 appearances for United to date. Of these, 49 came under Amorim, who was removed from his position in January this year.

Multiple sources in Italy claim that Milan demand €18m from Aston Villa for Pervis Estupinan, with Noussair Mazraoui emerging as Ruben Amorim’s favourite option to replace the Ecuador international.
Sportmediaset provides the latest updates on Aston Villa’s negotiations for Milan defender Estupinan.
The Italian broadcasters claim that the Premier League club is ready to invest a fee between €10m and €12m for the ex-Brighton left-back who failed to impress in his first season at Milan in 2025-26.
The Rossoneri are ready to let Estupinan go, but have set their asking price at €18m, the report claims.
Ruben Amorim, however, has already identified the ideal replacement for Estupinan as both SportMediaset and Daniele Longo of Calciomercato.com claim that the Portuguese wants to reunite with Manchester United full-back Mazraoui at San Siro.

Manchester United have officially announced the capture of Andrey Santos from Chelsea, while two more announcements are expected soon.
Apart from the midfielder, INEOS have also sealed deals for Karl Darlow, who is set to act as backup for Senne Lammens, and Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa.
The signing of the Belgian came as a surprise, and more could be on the way, with the Red Devils planning to add at least one more midfielder, along with a left-winger, a backup striker, and a left-back.
Alongside incomings, the club is also focused on outgoings, with Marcus Rashford expected to leave despite Michael Carrick opening the door to a possible reunion.
Noussair Mazraoui has been linked with a surprise exit in recent days, and fellow defender Lisandro Martinez is the latest name to be added to the list.

Among their many objectives, Milan will rework their wings this summer and are ******* sing a few options, starting with Noussair Mazraoui, who already played for Ruben Amorim at Manchester United, Matteo Moretto reports (via SOSFanta).
The chase is in its early stages. There have been no direct contacts between the two clubs for now. The player is under contract until 2028 with an option. The fullback headed to Old Trafford from Bayern Munich for €15M in 2024 and has accumulated 77 appearances, dishing out 3 ******* ists. He had started his career at Ajax.
Milan will eventually decide whether to bid for Mazraoui or target different players. In the meantime, they are open to selling Pervis Estupinan just a year after acquiring him for €20M. Aston Villa have shown some interest. Ideally, he’d leave for a similar fee.
According to TuttoSport, the Rossoneri are eyeing a right-footed specialist. Amorim might use Alexis Saelemaekers on the left flank. They could duel with Inter for Guéla Doué. They have tendered a five-year contract with a €2.5M salary. Rafik Belghali, who has been offered to several Serie A sides after Verona’s relegation, is among the cheaper alternatives. His price tag is €15M.
It’s not one of their most urgent needs, as Davide Bartesaghi is perfectly viable and Zachary Athekame eventually proved to be an okay backup, but they’ll obviously need an addition if they get rid of Estupinan without taking a bath, which is easier said than done. If they really want to blow their tactics up and have all wingers with inverted feet, they should go after an offensive-minded option like Doué’s teammate, Diego Moreira.

In this energetic live reaction episode of The Cooligans broadcasting straight from a venue in Boston, Christian Polanco and Alexis Guerreros deliver immediate ******* ysis following France’s clinical 2-0 victory over Morocco in the World Cup quarterfinals. The guys break down a complete, poised, and deeply unified French squad that currently looks a notch above tournament heavyweights like England and Argentina. They marvel at the incredible maturity and selfless play of Kylian Mbappé, whose dynamic run set up Ousmane Dembélé's fifth goal of the tournament to lock down the victory.
The hosts dive into the jaw-dropping stats surrounding this historic French team, noting that they are the first nation since Brazil in 2002 to feature two individual players with five or more goals in a single World Cup campaign. They contrast France's elite tactical output with a highly compact, lackluster performance from Morocco, placing a "stock down" tag on abysmal defensive outings from fullbacks Achraf Hakimi and Noussair Mazraoui. The conversation then shifts to the dramatic subplot of the Golden Boot race, where Mbappé and Lionel Messi sit tied at eight goals apiece following Argentina’s miraculous, highly controversial 3-2 comeback win against Egypt.
Finally, the guys look ahead to the next massive quarterfinal clash on the bracket: Spain versus Belgium. Christian and Alexis dissect Luis de la Fuente’s tactical setup for Spain, praising the standout tournament performances of Álex Baena and Mikel Oyarzábal, while ******* yzing whether Kevin De Bruyne can pull off a masterclass to keep Belgium's run alive. They close out the stream by taking fan comments from the live chat, discussing Nico González's viral post-match tattoo, and celebrating Swiss-Dominican hero Ruben Vargas.
Timestamps:
(00:00) — Live From Boston: Post-Match Reactions to France 2-0 Morocco

Morocco’s fearless belief combined with France’s wastefulness almost turned into a recipe for another upset in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Yassine Bounou (aka Bono), the Moroccan goalkeeper made a miraculous penalty save that kept his from going down early and avoided the scenario of chasing an equalizer from early in the game.
In an edition that has seen the underdog knockout the favorite more than once, this tie had the ingredients for a repeat. But, Kylian Mbappé and co found the next gear to churn out two goals and put an end to any chance of an upset.
Désiré Doué’s duel with Achraf Hakimi saw France regain possession. A brilliant pass from Olise gave Mbappe the option of cutting inside or running past Noussair Mazraoui. The feint from the French captain duped the defender, forcing out a late tackle in the penalty box to stop Mbappé’s run. After a lengthy check, VAR confirmed the referee’s decision of penalty.
A whole three minutes elapsed between the penalty being called and it actually being taken. VAR took an unusually lengthy period of time to confirm the referee’s decision. Mbappé who had been waiting on the spot was at the slight disadvantage due to the delay as his rhythm was repeatedly disturbed.
Bono’s fake movement before his actual dive disguised his true direction. Mbappé who decided to go for a stuttering penalty could not read his opponent. In fact, the pause due to the stutter further confused the striker as he just could not make up his mind. The resulting shot was not only lacking in power but was far away from the corner. An underpowered shot that hardly reached halfway between the center and the corner of the goal turned out to be just the save Bono needed to keep his team alive.

Whether or not France's World Cup campaign ends with a third world ******* le, few will remember Kylian Mbappe's penalty miss in their quarter-final victory over Morocco.
The match in Foxborough was goalless when Mbappe was fouled by Noussair Mazraoui. The France captain stuttered in his run up, looked up at goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, and saw his tame penalty easily saved.
Mbappe made amends on the hour mark when his sensational curling effort broke a stubborn Morocco defence, before Ousmane Dembele doubled France's lead six minutes later to secure a 2-0 win.
But his earlier blunder, uncharacteristic for the joint-top scorer in this tournament, begs the question: Is it time players stopped with the 'stuttering' penalty kicks?
In the list of things football traditionalists hate about the modern game, stuttering run ups are high up alongside players wearing gloves with short sleeve shirts, diving, and of course the video ******* istant referee (VAR).

Manchester United defender Noussair Mazraoui’s brave World Cup run has come to an end following Morocco’s elimination at the hands of France.
Morocco dreamed of reliving their 2022 World Cup heroics, when they defied all odds to reach the semi-finals, but the magic ran out this time as France proved an insurmountable obstacle.
From the start, France were the more dominant side, pegging Morocco back inside their own half.
A golden opportunity presented itself to Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe when he was brought down in the area by Mazraoui, earning Les Bleus a penalty and a chance to take the lead.
However, a prolonged delay in taking the spot-kick resulted in Mbappe missing as Yassine Bounou kept his effort out.

Kylian Mbappé missed a penalty but made up for it with a brilliant goal to help France beat Morocco 2-0 on Thursday and secure a spot in the World Cup semi-finals.
France were awarded a penalty in the first half after Noussair Mazraoui brought Mbappé down inside the box. But French fans were stunned when the Real Madrid star was denied by goalkeeper Yassine Bounou.
Mbappé, however, made up for the poor spot-kick with a goal in the 60th to finally break the deadlock with a stunning effort from the edge of the box.
Ousmane Dembélé doubled France's lead just six minutes later as Bounou's touch couldn't stop the ball from falling into the net.
In the semi-finals, they will face the winner of Friday's clash between Spain and Belgium. France are bidding to win a third World Cup **** le.

The headlines in Boston surrounded Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé as he took his World Cup 2026 goal tally to eight goals as he scored France’s first goal in a 2-0 against Morocco just before the hour mark in a hard fought quarter-final with limited chances for either side.
The French captain had enjoyed the best chance for his side as he stepped up to take a spot-kick win by the number 10 in the first half. Mbappé went down early after a diving challenge from Manchester United’s Noussair Mazrsoui. A three-and-a-half minute VAR review followed, with Mbappé made to wait before stepping up.
His penalty was then saved by Yassine Bounou, previously of Atlético Madrid and Sevilla, diving down low to his left. It was Mbappé’s first penalty miss since October’s Clásico and his first for his country since June 2023.
He made amends 30 minutes later as he broke the deadlock with a curling effort from the edge of the box leaving Bounou with no chance as it hit the side netting and gave France the lead.
Mbappé turned provider minutes later as he teed up Paris Saint-Germain’s Ousmane Dembélé to add a second for Les Bleus, again from outside the penalty box, before the second period’s hydration break.

Canada and Morocco go head-to-head at NRG Stadium this Saturday in the World Cup.
In their last match, Canada prevailed 0-1 against South Africa (World Cup 2026). In their last outing, Morocco drew 1-1 against Netherlands (World Cup 2026).
The last meeting between the two teams ended with Morocco winning 2-1.
Canada ( vs South Africa 2026-06-28): Maxime Crépeau, Alistair Johnston, Derek Cornelius, Moïse Bombito, Richie Laryea, Tajon Buchanan, Nathan Saliba, Stephen Eustáquio, Liam Millar, Jonathan David, Tani Oluwaseyi
Morocco ( vs Netherlands 2026-06-30): Yassine Bono, Achraf Hakimi, Issa Diop, Chadi Riad, Noussair Mazraoui, Neil El Aynaoui, Ayyoub Bouaddi, Brahim Díaz, Azzedine Ounahi, Bilal El Khannouss, Ismael Saibari

Morocco have reached the World Cup last 16 after a dramatic 3-2 win on penalties against the Netherlands on Monday following a 1-1 draw.
Ismael Saibari scored the decisive goal as he fired into the bottom left corner, while goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen went the wrong way.
Morocco will now face co-hosts Canada on Saturday in Houston for a spot in the quarter-finals.
"A really tough game against a really tough opponent. One of the best opponents you can face in the world. It's a top 10 of the world, I think a contender to win eventually the World Cup," Morocco defender Noussair Mazraoui said.
"The way that we managed to win today is a huge acknowledgement for us as a national team, of course."

Manchester United's Noussair Mazraoui was in action as Morocco progressed to the last 16 of the World Cup.
The North Africans defeated the Netherlands on penalties. The Moroccans equalised in the 91st minute when Issa Diop pulled his side level.
Mazraoui played the entire match and demonstrated his tactical flexibility by operating at left back throughout.
The defender made a stunning intervention in the 64th minute, showing strength and anticipation to beat United target Crysencio Summerville to the ball when he would have been through on goal.
It was the sort of clever defending that Manchester United fans have become accustomed to over the years from their Moroccan star.

Manchester United full-back Noussair Mazraoui continued his impressive run at the FIFA World Cup with another fine showing against Scotland. The Moroccan was an integral part of the African nation’s strong run at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, where they reached the semi-finals.
One of Mazraoui’s ******* ets is his versatility, with the player comfortable operating at left-back as well as right-back positions. The 28 year old also filled in at centre-back last season for United against Chelsea, helping pick up a hard-fought 1-0 win.
Source: Transfermarkt.
The Moroccan featured exclusively at left-back in the 2022 World Cup and has been used in the same position in this year’s edition of the mega event. After starting the tournament with a 1-1 draw against Brazil, the Atlas Lions arrived at the game against Scotland eager to pick up three points.
Morocco enjoyed a blistering start to the game when Ismael Saibari found the back of the net after just 72 seconds. The PSV forward also scored against Brazil and is reportedly on his way to Bayern Munich.

Scotland and Morocco face each other this Friday at the Gillette Stadium of the World Cup. The match will be broadcast live at 23:00 on ITV 1.
In their last game, Scotland won 0-1 against Haiti (World Cup 2026). In their last outing, Morocco drew 1-1 against Brazil (World Cup 2026).
Scotland ( vs Haiti 2026-06-14): Angus Gunn, Aaron Hickey, Jack Hendry, Grant Hanley, Andy Robertson, Ben Gannon-Doak, Lewis Ferguson, Scott McTominay, John McGinn, Che Adams, Lawrence Shankland
Morocco ( vs Brazil 2026-06-13): Yassine Bono, Achraf Hakimi, Issa Diop, Chadi Riad, Noussair Mazraoui, Neil El Aynaoui, Ayyoub Bouaddi, Brahim Díaz, Bilal El Khannouss, Azzedine Ounahi, Ismael Saibari

Arsenal, Liverpool among teams interested in Moroccan wonderkid originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
One of the teams to look out for at the 2026 FIFA World Cup is Morocco, with the defending AFCON champions a perennial dark horse in recent tournaments, including their semi-final run at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where they lost to France. The squad includes the likes of Achraf Hakimi, Brahim Diaz, and Noussair Mazraoui, but the real star of their opening match of the tournament against Brazil was Ayyoub Bouaddi.
The 18-year-old would prove to be too much for the Brazilians to handle, recording 60 passes, five interceptions, while winning out on 9 duels in the midfield. Given that it's his World Cup debut, this is rather impressive for someone at that young of an age on the global stage. But for those keyed into Ligue 1, these numbers aren't too surprising given that Bouaddi recorded 33 interceptions and won out on 49 tackles during 42 games with Lille this season.
All of this has caught the eyes of multiple of the bigger clubs around the world, making the Moroccan midfielder one of the names to watch during the summer transfer window, with multiple Premier League sides looking at acquiring his services, chief among them: ****** nal and Liverpool.
According to a recent report from Fabrizio Romano, both English sides have been in contact with Bouaddi's representatives about making a move in the coming weeks.

The main football tournament of the year is just around the corner. The licensed platform, 1xBet Ireland, takes a look at the first matches of the national teams featuring Manchester United players.
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In the group stage openers, several Manchester United players will be in action. Noussair Mazraoui is expected to line up for Morocco, while Casemiro and Matheus Cunha are set to feature for Brazil.
Morocco reached the semi-finals of the tournament’s previous edition and remain one of Africa’s strongest sides. However, ahead of the opening fixture, Moroccan fans are left with plenty of questions. Mohamed Wahbi has only recently taken charge, and his decision to leave Youssef En-Nesyri – one of the national team’s key players in recent years – out of the squad came as a surprise. Ahead of the match against Brazil, such a change is particularly risky. The Canarinho are favourites, but Morocco are capable of springing surprises against top sides.
Brazil vs Morocco: W1 – 1.635*, Х – 3.94*, W2 – 6.1*.

Manchester United minority owners INEOS have implemented several changes to the club’s football system since taking over in February 2024. The Red Devils’ recruitment policy in the past decade has frequently come under scrutiny, with multiple questionable decisions negatively impacting their finances.
INEOS identified that the club’s transfer activity needed a revamp and one of their first decisions was to poach Newcastle United sporting director Dan Ashworth. A standoff followed, with the Magpies finally agreeing a compensation fee for the departure of the former Norwich City academy graduate, who was placed on gardening leave.
Ashworth officially joined United in 1 July 2024, taking charge as the club’s new sporting director. Under his leadership, the Red Devils enjoyed a productive summer transfer window, signing Matthijs de Ligt, Leny Yoro, Noussair Mazraoui, Joshua Zirkzee and Manuel Ugarte.
Ashworth also played a role in the appointment of former head coach Ruben Amorim in November as Erik ten Hag’s replacement. However, the Englishman was surprisingly relieved of his duties by mutual consent before the end of the year.
Ashworth subsequently took up a role as FA’s chief football officer, but now appears that he is all set for a return to club football.