Manchester United's squad for the West Ham match confirmed, Carrick announces Mount's return delayed! Yaro likely to miss as well

Manchester United will travel to London on Tuesday to face West Ham United, departing from Stockport by train on Monday afternoon. The squad remains without De Ligt, Patrick Dyke, and Mason Mount. Mount was initially thought to be available for this match, but his comeback has been delayed. Manager Carrick mentioned that the £60 million midfielder is expected back for the Everton away fixture in two weeks. The 18-year-old Tyler Fletcher, who debuted last round, continues to replace Mount and is included in the squad.

Mount got injured during training before Manchester United's match against Fulham and has missed two games since. He is now largely recovered; however, due to his injury history, Carrick is reluctant to risk playing him at the London stadium. Carrick explained, "Mason (Mount) won't play on Tuesday, maybe after that, but he will definitely be back for the Everton match."

In contrast, whether De Ligt can return for the Everton game remains uncertain. De Ligt has been out for over two months due to a back injury, with his last appearance on November 30 against Crystal Palace. At that time, then-manager Ruben Amorim claimed the Dutch defender's injury was minor and expected him to return in the next match. Now, the second leg against Crystal Palace is approaching, with the "London Eagles" set to visit Old Trafford on March 1.

Carrick stated, "Regarding Matthijs (De Ligt), we still need to see. Currently, the Everton match seems a bit too soon for him. We will continue monitoring his recovery, but he has a positive attitude and is moving in the right direction. At the moment, Mason's progress is slightly ahead of his."

Patrick Dyke will miss two months due to a hamstring injury, definitely ruling him out of matches in February and March. The 20-year-old French defender Lenny Yaro did not travel with the full squad, which does not necessarily mean he won’t participate; he might be traveling separately to London. Among the 20 players confirmed to travel for the away match, three are goalkeepers. Tom Heaton is unlikely to be included in the official 19-man matchday squad, so one player spot remains open.

The next opponent, West Ham, is Carrick’s youth club from his playing days. They are currently in the relegation zone but have won three of their last four Premier League matches. Carrick said, "I think before the match you have to understand both teams' situations. We explain the match context to our players every game, and Tuesday night will be no different. The type of game, the experience, and the tactics we need to apply vary. Teams near the bottom fight for survival, and so do we. Manchester United has its own goals. So, it’s evenly matched, and it comes down to who performs better on the day."

West Ham, coached by Nuno Santo, has clearly improved, not only winning away matches against Spurs and Burnley but also leading Chelsea 2-0 at one point before being overturned by a last-minute penalty. Carrick said, "West Ham has changed; they were previously troubled by injuries. I believe they are very good at quick transitions and pose a real threat, with some genuinely excellent attacking players. We have analyzed them and understand how they will approach us. West Ham is indeed dangerous, especially at home, so we have to be fully prepared for everything."

Regardless of whether Manchester United beats West Ham to achieve a fifth consecutive win, one United fan is destined to be the post-match focus. Frank Elliott vowed in October 2024 that he would not cut his hair unless the Red Devils achieved five straight wins. Tuesday will mark his 493rd day without a haircut. This act has earned him millions of followers on social media, though some criticize him for using the club to gain attention.

Carrick acknowledged knowing about this but said it won’t affect the team. "I do know about him," Carrick said. "My kids told me, but from a professional standpoint, the team does not discuss this. I understand it and smile about it, but it won’t have any real impact."

Manchester United’s squad traveling south to London: Senna Lamens, Altay Bayindir, Tom Heaton; Diogo Dalot, Mazraoui, Maguire, Lisandro Martinez, Eden Hyun, Luke Shaw, Tyrell Malacia; Casemiro, Ugarte, Kobe Meno, Tyler Fletcher, Bruno Fernandes; Cunha, Amad Diallo, Mbemo, Zirkzee, Szeszko.