Šeško out, de Ligt returns to United's squad for Fulham

The Lead

Team newscorroboratedunresolved

United left for Fulham without Benjamin Šeško, and with Matthijs de Ligt for the first time since November

Benjamin Šeško did not travel to London on Saturday, per Railston, who has Baleba, Shaw and de Ligt poised to be available against Fulham. That leaves Cunha and Zirkzee as United's only recognised centre-forwards among the travelling attackers, alongside Lacey, Rashford and Mbeumo. Carrick has shown a liking for a striker-less attack, so a squad list alone does not settle the shape. United had named no injury by Sunday morning.

De Ligt is in a squad for the first time since November, out since then with a back injury the Standard says has persisted. Baleba was named too, having not played a minute for United before Sunday, and Shaw travelled after missing the derby, the Sabah trip and Wednesday's cup exit.

Manchester Evening News (Steven Railston)

Matchday Preview

Fulham away, Sunday, 15:30 kickoff, Premier League.

Fulham arrive bottom of the table on one point from four games, with Kenny Tete out under concussion protocols and Tom Cairney sidelined by a knee injury, per the club's own team news page. United's own availability picture is on the Lead: a travelling squad without Šeško, but with de Ligt included for the first time since November.

Our fixture record carries no stadium for away games and no broadcast field, so neither appears here.

The Briefing

Creator Spotlight

Adam Crafton

Adam Crafton, tier 2, credibility 88 on our own scale.

Adam Crafton covers the business of United rather than the touchline: ownership, governance, the sponsorship deals that never make a matchday programme. His pace is slower than the daily transfer churn, but a piece like Sunday's Ratcliffe fallout carries more weight for it. Read him when the story is about money, not minutes.

Club Pulse

First-team mood lifts on de Ligt's return and the Fulham squad list; academy sentiment slides again as the Gabriel saga drags on. Ownership, manager and women's layers stay quiet.

Fan Voice

Supporters travelling to Craven Cottage are torn between optimism over Baleba's involvement and nerves about facing a newly bottom-placed Fulham, with some already asking what a defeat there would mean for the pressure building on Carrick if it goes wrong again.

It might finally be Carlos Baleba time 👀

@unitedpeoplestv, sentiment positive

If Manchester United lose to Fulham tomorrow, does the conversation around Michael Carrick get even louder?

@SimplyUtd, sentiment neutral

Player in Focus

Leny Yoro

3 mentions on the day's count, sentiment positive, trend rising.

Leny Yoro's mentions are trending up, three in the file and positive, after Carrick refused to isolate him following Brighton and ruled out any knee-jerk call over one moment. Three mentions is still a small base, worth noting rather than trusting as a verdict.

Carrick says there is no cut-off point on Yoro and will make no knee-jerk call on him over one game or one moment.

Manchester United

Loan Watch

Four of this summer's outgoing deals are settled: Toby Collyer at West Bromwich Albion, Jack Moorhouse at Dundee, Chido Obi at Willem II and Melvine Malard at Chelsea have all completed moves away from Old Trafford, per the ledger. None left with first-team minutes to their name this season.

Rivals Radar

City's derby officials were stood down this weekend, after missing the offside that led to Haaland's winner over United, the incident Carrick still calls tough to take.

From the Archive

09-20 · 1941

7-1 v Stockport County

United beat Stockport County 7-1 at home in wartime regional league football. J. Rowley scored four times, with Carey, Mitten and Warner also on target.

In 1941, wartime football produced a rout: United beat Stockport County 7-1 at home, with Jack Rowley scoring four and Carey, Mitten and Warner among the rest.

Source