Leny Yoro adds to Man Utd’s defensive concerns for Chelsea clash

Michael Carrick is facing a defensive headache as Leny Yoro’s absence from the Manchester United squad that travelled to Chelsea compounded the suspensions of Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez.

The third-placed Red Devils are well positioned to return to European football’s top table given the Premier League’s top five qualify for next season’s Champions League.

United boast a seven-point gap over sixth-placed Chelsea ahead of Saturday evening’s meeting at Stamford Bridge, where Maguire and Martinez are both serving bans for a potentially key clash.

Matthijs de Ligt is already out with a long-term back issue and it emerged on the eve of the game that fellow centre-back Yoro was not part of the travelling party having reportedly picked up an injury.

United declined to comment when contacted by the Press Association about Yoro, whose absence would only darken Carrick’s mood.

United boss Carrick said of the absence of Maguire and Martinez: “To be honest, there’s not much we can react to. Massively disappointed, of course.

“I think I’ve had a few reasons to be disappointed in a big way over those type of situations over the last couple of weeks or three weeks.

“But obviously now we’ve got to move on. The decisions have been made, it’s something that we’re really disappointed with in many ways, but that’s it now. We’ve got to move on and we will do.”

Maguire missed Monday’s 2-1 home defeat to rivals Leeds after seeing red at Bournemouth, where his reaction led to the Football Association this week dishing out an additional one-game ban.

Martinez was sent off against Leeds for violent conduct after the VAR directed referee Paul Tierney to the monitor to review a hair tug on Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Enraged coach Carrick called the decision “one of the worst I’ve seen” and PA understands United intended to appeal against the sending-off.

The former midfielder sidestepped a question as to whether they actually lodged the appeal but confirmed the Argentina international will be unavailable on Saturday.

“We’re obviously disappointed,” Carrick said. “We didn’t agree with it. I think it was pretty obvious how I felt after the game, and I still feel that way.

“Yeah, listen, I don’t want to go into it now. I think it is what it is. We’ve been hit with some decisions and, at the end of the day, now we’ve got to accept it and move on, whether we like them or not.”

Asked to confirm whether Martinez will be available at Chelsea, Carrick said: “No.”

Patrick Dorgu remains absent as he works his way back from a hamstring injury sustained in January, but Kobbie Mainoo was spotted with the travelling group having missed the defeat to Leeds with an issue sustained in training.

“Patrick’s going well, he’s rehabbing well, he’s kind of on track, he’s not with us in terms of training yet but he’s back on the pitch,” Carrick said. “That’s positive and he’s doing really well.

“Kobbie, we’re working towards it. He’s done a little bit, so there’s a decision to be made there.”