Carrick backs Martínez’s commitment ahead of Manchester United’s Roma match

Manchester United’s meeting with Roma puts Michael Carrick’s immediate priorities in sharp focus. He’s backing Lisandro Martínez after a turbulent few days, while insisting his attention is fixed on the match despite a nine-game winless run. That combination of public support and narrow focus is a practical response to a club facing pressure on several fronts at once: results, availability and questions about what happens next.

Martínez available after Chelsea red card

Martínez is expected to remain in United’s side at Old Trafford. His dismissal in Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at Chelsea came in the Premier League, so the resulting one-match suspension applies to Sunday’s game against Aston Villa rather than the Champions League tie. The distinction matters to Carrick’s selection: a red card has left United without the defender for a domestic fixture, but doesn’t remove him from consideration against Roma.

The red card followed a club fine over Martínez’s public remarks about director of football Jason Wilcox. Asked about the defender’s commitment at Carrington on Monday, Carrick said: “I’ve got no concerns about commitment at all.” He added that players sometimes make mistakes, but said commitment wasn’t in question. The comments were reported by the Guardian. Carrick’s answer draws a line between a player’s conduct and his effort on the pitch, though it doesn’t make the surrounding dispute disappear. For a team searching for a win, his immediate message is that Martínez remains available and trusted.

Dorgu trains, but remains unavailable

Patrick Dorgu has resumed full training after a hamstring injury sustained on international duty with Denmark. United’s official team update says he isn’t ready to return to match action, ruling him out against Roma. Training with the group is a step toward availability, but it doesn’t settle when a player can safely take part in a competitive match. For Carrick, the distinction leaves Dorgu’s recovery encouraging but of no immediate help to this selection.

Leny Yoro is available in Europe again after missing the loss in Como through suspension, though he trained with strapping. Amad, who was substituted at Stamford Bridge, and Harry Amass also joined the group. Their presence gives Carrick more options to assess, but the update doesn’t confirm which players will start or how many minutes they’re ready to play. Yoro’s return is particularly relevant after the Como defeat, when United were without him because of the suspension.

Luke Shaw, Marcus Rashford and Benjamin Šeško remain out. Šeško isn’t expected back until January, according to the reported recovery timeline. Manuel Ugarte is also sidelined with an injury. These absences narrow the range of changes Carrick can make, especially across the coming fixtures. The team update offers some signs of players returning to training, but it leaves several established options unavailable.

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Carrick keeps focus on Roma

United have gone nine matches without a win, their longest run in 38 years, and sit 21st in the Champions League league phase after defeats to Atlético Madrid and Como. Carrick, who said after the Chelsea loss that he expected to remain in charge for the Roma match, declined to speculate about what comes next. The league position and the run of results make the Roma fixture more than a routine date on the calendar: another defeat would deepen an already difficult stretch, while a win would at least interrupt it.

“I can’t look into the future, I don’t know what’s going to happen,” he said. “You might think I’m crazy with the results we’ve had and what’s going on, but I genuinely can’t wait for the game tomorrow and that’s all I’m focused on.” It’s a deliberate refusal to turn a pre-match press conference into a debate about his future. That said, the results provide the context for the question, and Carrick’s answer can’t make that pressure vanish. His stated focus is the next match; the broader uncertainty remains unresolved.

Mainoo acknowledges Carrick’s trust

Kobbie Mainoo, who is 21, said Carrick had backed him since taking over in January and thanked the coach for his guidance. “I’m very grateful to the boss for putting the trust in me, as soon as he came in,” he said in comments published by ManUtd.com. A player’s account of a manager’s support gives a view of the relationship inside the squad, though it doesn’t answer the separate question of whether United can turn that support into better results. For Mainoo, the public emphasis is on trust and development during a period when the team has little room for complacency.

Mainoo also addressed the boos after United’s 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth. He said supporters couldn’t be expected to cheer when results were poor, adding: “We owe it to them to put the results out there for them to cheer again.” That’s a direct acknowledgment of the gap between what the club wants from its crowd and what the performances have earned. The responsibility he describes is straightforward. Results have to come first.

What the Roma match could reveal

Roma have fitness concerns of their own. Paulo Dybala, Lorenzo Pellegrini and Manu Koné are doubts for Gian Piero Gasperini, while former United Academy goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini is expected to continue in goal. Kick-off at Old Trafford is 20:00 GMT. Those doubts could affect Roma’s choices, but the available information doesn’t establish whether any of the three will miss the match.

For United, the immediate test is whether Carrick’s focus can translate into a more convincing performance despite the absences and recent run. If you’re following the club’s season, the match offers a clear measure of how the available players respond under pressure. This is more significant than it looks: the result won’t settle every question around Carrick or the squad, but it will shape the mood around a team that needs a win. And this is the part most people overlook: getting players back into training helps only when they’re ready to contribute in matches. Roma first. Then the next problem.

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