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Chelsea take on Manchester United at the weekend with the Red Devils missing a number of key players, including two senior centre-backs at Stamford Bridge
Michael Carrick will be without three key Manchester United players for Saturday evening's trip to Stamford Bridge to take on Chelsea.
Lisandro Martinez was shown a straight red card in Monday night's defeat to Leeds United at Old Trafford for pulling on Dominic Calvert-Lewin's hair. United appealed the decision to send the Argentine centre-back off, but that has been unsuccessful.
Speaking in his pre-Chelsea press conference on Friday afternoon, Carrick said: "No [Martinez won't be available]. We didn't agree with it [the red card], it's obvious how I felt after the game, and I still feel that way now. I don't want to go into it now, it is what it is. We have to accept it and move on."
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Meanwhile, Harry Maguire has been handed a further one-match suspension for swearing at an official after his red card against Bournemouth before the international break. Carrick said: "To be honest, there's not much to react to. I'm disappointed, of course.
"We've had a few reasons to be disappointed over the last few weeks. We have to move on because the decision has been made."
Meanwhile, Patrick Dorgu, who has missed the last nine matches due to a hamstring injury, is getting closer to a return but he will not be in the squad in west London. "Patrick won't be [available]," said Carrick.
"He's doing well, rehabbing well and he's kind of on track, but he's not with us in terms of training. He's back on the pitch, which is positive and he's doing really well."
Kobbie Mainoo missed Monday's defeat to Leeds with an injury and a decision over his fitness still needs to be made. "Kobbie is doing little bits, he's working towards it, he's doing bits, so there's a decision to be made," Carrick said.
Mason Mount is set to take part against his former club Chelsea on Saturday. The 27-year-old Cobham graduate switched to Old Trafford in the summer of 2023 after failing to agree on a new contract with the Blues.
Mount has returned to Stamford Bridge twice since leaving the club almost three years ago, and has come out on the losing side on both occasions. There seems to be some uncertainty over what sort of future the former Chelsea midfielder has in Manchester, but Carrick insisted he has a big role to play under him.
"There is definitely a place for him in the team, without doubt," explained the United head coach. "He is working hard to get fully fit.
"The other night, we were creating chances towards the end of the game, so there was a decision to make on who to bring on. Mason has a good future here, so I really don't worry about that."
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