Manchester United announces Lisandro Martinez's return against Leeds United, Carrick emphasizes not rushing! Two players still injured.

Manchester United officially announced that center-back Lisandro Martinez's calf injury has healed, allowing him to participate in Monday's Premier League home match against Leeds United. But manager Carrick emphasized they won't rush, Martinez may not start, and might not even substitute.

Martinez's last game was on February 10th, exactly two months ago. However, this Monday the 28-year-old Argentine international joined the team's training camp in Ireland, fully participating in all three training sessions. Due to Maguire's suspension for this match, many expect Martinez to return to the starting lineup, but Carrick stated the team will make the right choice and won't force Martinez to start immediately.

Carrick said: "We'll communicate with him, not force him to do anything. Ensuring a player is fully prepared is significant, equally important as winning the next game. And from a broader perspective, this is the correct decision we need to make. He has resumed training with the team and can play again, but we must choose carefully, ensuring he is truly ready to compete."

Another available injured player is Mason Mount, who returned to the squad for United's match against Aston Villa but hasn't played yet.

Carrick explained: "Firstly, Mason (Mount) returning is great. He was injured shortly after I took over, but now he's had two or three weeks to adapt to the new environment, find his rhythm and improve his condition. Having him in the team is excellent; versatility is his biggest strength, he can play multiple midfield positions and also the wings. He's undoubtedly a great team player, I really appreciate him, and he'll surely perform well in the future; we just need to give him opportunities. He's in good form now, but patience is also needed."

De Ligt did not participate in the training camp, his return is still far off, and Patrick Doku, although involved, will also miss the Leeds United match. Carrick said: "The reason Matthijs (De Ligt) didn't go is his injury hasn't recovered; he needs continued treatment and rehabilitation training. Patrick (Doku) has made some progress, Matthijs hasn't reached that stage yet. So for him, he must continue rehabilitating; there's no other way, just persevere."

When asked about De Ligt's specific recovery plan, Carrick responded: "Do you want me to detail his daily schedule? Training methods differ, exercises performed vary. He's working in the gym but isn't ready to play matches yet. This is the process one must go through when injured; sometimes recovery is faster, other times, due to various reasons, progress is slower and doesn't follow the plan. He's still in the stage of striving to regain fitness."

United's opponent on Monday is Leeds United; Carrick never faced Leeds in the Premier League during his 12 years playing for United, but he played against Leeds while at West Ham United in 2003. However, Carrick is well aware of the rivalry between United and Leeds.

"This rivalry has lasted a long time; the hostility exists for good reasons," Carrick said. "Being part of such a tense, intense derby atmosphere, feeling the emotions and passion, is a great thing. We need to control the intensity; this is the game we love, competing against the opponent. Fighting hard on the pitch, determining victory, this is a challenge United must accept, and why we play. We understand clearly, I know, the players know, this match isn't just about three points. So, we eagerly await that moment; for us it's a very important night, hoping the atmosphere is electric, the stadium full of energy, I believe it will be."

Carrick has won all five home matches leading United; he added: "Playing at home is wonderful; players will be more in form, perform better. The crowd helps us maintain balance, cheering when needed, moving forward with us. I expect this match to be like the past ones, but with more edge."

United assistant coach Jonathan Woodgate was a Middlesbrough academy product but made his name at Leeds United, with deep affection; he tearfully left Leeds' training ground when transferring to Newcastle United for £9 million.

Now, will Woodgate's presence help the Red Devils better understand Leeds' details? Carrick said: "Actually not that much! I think we all understand clearly what this match means for the club and the fans. I've repeated several times, I feel when you play a match, you must grasp its significance, understand its impact on the overall situation. These matches hold different meanings for different people. Sometimes a match is just a regular match, sometimes there are special contexts or variations; this one clearly belongs to the latter."