Manchester United: Crisis for Michael Carrick as He is Left With One Defender for Chelsea Clash

Manchester United's defensive woes have deepened ahead of their Premier League fixture against Chelsea, with the team potentially missing four of their five senior centre-backs.

The latest concern is an injury to Leny Yoro, who was not seen with the squad as they departed for London on Friday. There are fears the 20-year-old's injury could sideline him for the rest of the season.

United are already without the suspended Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez, while Matthijs de Ligt remains unavailable due to a back issue that has kept him out since late November. With Yoro's potential absence, Ayden Heaven is the only fit senior central defender available for selection.

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Interim coach Michael Carrick may be forced into a defensive reshuffle, which could see Luke Shaw move into the centre-back position alongside Heaven. Diogo Dalot, who was on the bench for the 2-1 loss to Leeds, might be recalled to the starting lineup, with Noussair Mazraoui likely retaining his spot in the back four.

This isn't the first time a United manager has faced a selection headache at Stamford Bridge. During his brief spell as caretaker manager in November 2021, Carrick opted for a back three in a match that ended in a 1-1 draw.

Young defender Tyler Fredricson, 21, is another option, having been on the bench against Bournemouth last month. However, his last start was in a League Cup defeat to Grimsby Town in August, where he was substituted at halftime with United trailing 2-0.

In a spot of good news, midfielder Kobbie Mainoo has travelled with the squad after a minor injury kept him out of the recent defeat to Leeds.

The club's disciplinary issues have compounded their injury problems. Maguire received an additional one-match ban for his conduct towards a fourth official after being sent off against Bournemouth.

Meanwhile, an appeal to overturn Lisandro Martinez's red card for an altercation with Leeds striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin was unsuccessful. The Argentine will now miss the games against Chelsea, Brentford, and Liverpool.

The team's travel plans were also disrupted by major issues at Manchester Piccadilly station. After initially attempting to book a last-minute flight, the squad managed to board a train from Stockport Station, bypassing the travel chaos in Manchester's city centre.

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