Manchester United will be aiming to kick-start their Premier League season as they take on Chelsea at Old Trafford, but a whole host of key players could be out owing to injury.
Daniel Orme Trends Writer
14:35, 19 Sep 2025
Ruben Amorim has been handed a double boost ahead of this weekend’s match with Chelsea.(Image: Getty Images)
Manchester United welcome Chelsea to Old Trafford this weekend desperate to finally kick their season into life. United have won just one out of their opening four league games and were dismantled by rivals Manchester City last weekend.
And they’ve got another tough task on their hands as they welcome the Blues to Manchester. Ruben Amorim will certainly hope to call on his best players for the game and, thankfully, a couple of stars look set to return.
The United manager has confirmed that both Matheus Cunha and Mason Mount are ready to return, albeit Diogo Dalot and Lisandro Martinez are still out.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference, he said: “Dalot is out, Mase and Cunha are in the squad. Licha is still out, that is it.”
On the Argentine, Amorim added: “It’s really important [that Martinez is nearing a return]. When you have that injury you recover a lot of times very fast and then there is a boring part where it looks like you don’t go to the next step.
“We do miss Licha a lot. We miss the aggression in this moment, how aggressive he is on everything he does, we miss him. But he’s always there in every meeting, even in training, he stays there to watch the training… I think we need Licha in this team.”
Another star ruled out is up-for-sale Tyrell Malacia. “He is returning with contact with the ball with the Under-21s, then we will see,” Amorim said about the Dutchman.
Elsewhere, Enzo Maresca’s side have enjoyed a positive start to the new campaign. The Blues are unbeaten after four games, albeit they slipped to defeat in their Champions League opener against Bayern Munich.
Matheus Cunha is set to return for Man United this weekend(Image: Getty Images)
The west London side picked up a fresh concern against the German heavyweights with Cole Palmer seemingly sustaining an issue, but he looks set to be fit to play at Old Trafford.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Maresca said: “Cole is okay. We have a session now, we flew back yesterday. We need to assess some players, we have some doubt. We didn’t have a session since Wednesday’s game, but we will see.”
And while Palmer looks set to take to the pitch, there are a host of players who won’t. Long-term absentees Levi Colwill and Liam Delap are both still on the side-lines, while midfielder Dario Essugo is also ruled out.
Benoit Badiashile and Romeo Lavia have been struggling with their own issues and, while they are closing in on returns, this weekend’s trip to Old Trafford looks slightly too early.
Away from injuries, Raheem Sterling and Axel Disasi both remain out in the cold and are almost certain not to be included, while Ukraine international Mykhailo Mudryk is suspended.
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