Michael Carrick press conference recap ahead of Manchester United vs Tottenham Manchester Evening News
Manchester City's world might have felt like it was collapsing in on itself over the last fortnight as the 115 charges verdict was communicated. However, as Khaldoon Al Mubarak continued to insist on the club's innocence, he was also keen to stress how much there is to look forward to.
On the pitch, City have started the season superbly with a 100 per cent record across the Premier League, Champions League and Carabao Cup. This start is even more impressive considering Enzo Maresca overhauled his squad in the summer transfer window. Several first-team players departed the Etihad Stadium in search of a new chapter. Two of those who chose to depart reunited in north London.
Savinho joined Tottenham Hotspur in a record sale for the Blues. City received a whopping £75m for the Brazilian winger, and that could rise further to £85m should clauses be activated. In Manchester, this transfer was heralded as a great success.
Having joined from fellow City Football Group club Troyes in 2024, Savio made 84 appearances, scoring seven goals and bagging 16 assists. This modest total does not equate to a £75m player, never mind a £85m one, hence the celebrations from a City perspective. But speaking to MEN Sport, football.london's Tottenham correspondent Alasdair Gold believes the signing was decent business from Spurs, despite the high fee.
"Tottenham had made Savio their number one target all summer, having chased him for a year beforehand, so ultimately they were always going to spend whatever it took to get him," he explained. "Roberto De Zerbi was already planning with staff over the summer how to utilise the Brazilian best if Spurs could get the deal over the line.
"For years, Tottenham have not pushed above and beyond for their top targets and made sure they got the deal done, so it's difficult to criticise them for finally doing exactly that this summer with a number of targets."
He continued: "I think so far we've seen exactly what we knew about him. There's incredible raw potential there and he leads the Premier League in successful dribbles per match by a distance so far this season, but it's about what comes next.
"That's where De Zerbi needs to develop what Guardiola saw in the young Brazilian. His debut was spectacular with the goal - he thought he scored twice - against Charlton in the Carabao Cup and he's been Spurs' most dangerous attacker so far, and the only one who isn't lacking confidence. Time will tell who got the better end of the deal."
Two days after confirming the arrival of Savio, Spurs added his former City teammate Omar Marmoush to their ranks. Like Julian Alvarez before him, Marmoush struggled playing second fiddle to Erling Haaland.
To accommodate him, City aimed to use him on the wings, but compared to Rayan Cherki, Jeremy Doku or Antoine Semenyo, Marmoush was not at the same level. In fact, the arrival of Semenyo in January ultimately spelt the end for the Egypt international.
The former Bournemouth man has shown he can fill in for Haaland when needed, but also that he is more equipped to play on the wing. Unlike Savio, Marmoush did not request to leave City. However, it was clear his opportunities would be limited at the Etihad Stadium, were he to remain.
"He's looked bright without having the end product, yet," Gold explained. "The Egyptian is clearly an explosive player and can make something happen out of nothing, but De Zerbi needs to decide where he's best utilised.
"He's played centrally, but obviously isn't a target man, and then out on the left when [Dominic] Solanke has been on the pitch. I think that once Solanke is fit and sharp then Marmoush will benefit from playing off him and buzzing around the big front man.
"He's looked neat and tidy through the middle without the strength to be a real focal point. He can hold the ball up occasionally in tight situations but it's not his greatest strength.
"I get the feeling that De Zerbi will end up using him just behind Solanke at times with the latter sometimes pulling back to release the rapid Egyptian through on goal. It was something that [Harry] Kane and [Heung-min] Son used to do to great effect."
Next summer, Spurs are obligated to make Marmoush's loan permanent for £60m. While this is a strong indication that his time at City is over, it is not a 100 per cent guarantee, as we saw when Chelsea paid a penalty fee to not sign Jadon Sancho from Manchester United.
But Gold is confident that we will not see a Sancho repeat in eight months. "I was told early in the summer that Marmoush was a player that De Zerbi had loved from his Frankfurt days," he said. "He's got the quality and a fair bit of experience and now he needs to feel loved rather than a back-up, which the Italian should do.
"Both Marmoush and Savio have been supporting acts at City and now they have the chance to be leading men at Spurs. That should motivate them."
He concluded: "He's [De Zerbi] clearly a big fan of both players and sees them as key parts of his team going forward. He wants both to get fitter and sharper, while acknowledging that Marmoush looks to be ahead in that respect.
"Both will start most matches for Spurs and De Zerbi has made it clear that they will bring a bit of magic to unlock the door that the club haven't had in recent years. Once they are combined with the team's absent playmakers like [James] Maddison, Xavi [Simons] and [Dejan] Kulusevski then they should really start firing on all cylinders."
The Manchester United line-up Michael Carrick must pick vs Tottenham is clear - but there's a problem
Manchester United return to Premier League action on Saturday when they host bottom club Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford
Manchester United return to Premier League action this weekend when they host Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford. While Roberto De Zerbi may be feeling the pressure considering where Spurs sit in the table, Michael Carrick knows the next two weeks will be crucial for his future.
Tottenham, Leeds and Bournemouth await in the Premier League, along with tough trips to Atletico Madrid and Como in the Champions League. If consistency is not found quickly, Carrick could be at serious risk of becoming the first Premier League manager to be sacked this season.
Carrick simply has to get his team selection right this weekend. Senne Lammens is comfortably first choice, even before you consider the injury issues with Karl Darlow and Tom Heaton. The Belgium international has been criticised after the disastrous own goal against Fulham, but he still remains a vast improvement on predecessors Andre Onana and Altay Bayindir.
Diogo Dalot and Luke Shaw are the first choice full-backs, while Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez are the trusted centre-backs. Leny Yoro could muscle his way into that defence, particularly after his stellar performance for France during the international break, but the Maguire-Martinez connection still seems the safest bet.
In midfield, Kobbie Mainoo is guaranteed a starter assuming he is fit after pulling out of England duty, along with captain Bruno Fernandes. Who joins them in the centre is less clear. Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos have struggled to nail down that position, while Mason Mount also feels a risk.
Currently, the opportunity looks to be primed for Carlos Baleba to make his full debut. He has yet to appear for the Reds since his summer move from Brighton. An ankle injury picked up in pre-season has kept him sidelined up to this point, but he did feature in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Lausanne-Sport last week.
Baleba is backed by the recruitment department to be the missing piece of this squad and he certainly has the chance to cement his place this weekend.
In attack, Carrick knows what his best selection is to beat Spurs. Bryan Mbeumo and Marcus Rashford should man both flanks. Rashford and Shaw's link-up play has been good this season while Mbeumo, on his day, is as good as anyone in the Premier League.
Leading the line should be Benjamin Sesko, but here lies the problem. Sesko is an injury doubt having withdrawn from the Slovenia squad during the international break. He is not the only doubt either. Mainoo and Rashford both withdrew from England duty and Baleba, albeit he is back in full training, is not guaranteed to be fit enough to start.
Carrick knows exactly what his strongest side looks like and it is clear who he should pick against Spurs. But whether the seemingly endless list of injury concerns allows him to select it, remains to be seen.
Manchester United return to Premier League action on Saturday evening when they host Tottenham Hotspur
After an extended international break, Manchester United will resume their Premier League campaign on Saturday when they host Tottenham Hotspur. Both United and Spurs ended the first five games of the domestic season under a cloud. The Reds have struggled for consistency, so far, and the draw against Fulham was underwhelming.
For Tottenham, things look even bleaker given they sit bottom of the Premier League without a win to their name. Both sides will be desperate for three points this Saturday. However, Michael Carrick has a number of injury worries to contend with before returning to Old Trafford.
Carlos Baleba has yet to make his debut for the Reds since his summer move from Brighton and Hove Albion. During pre-season with the south coast club, Baleba suffered an ankle injury. His recovery from that issue bled into his new chapter at United. Fortunately for the Cameroon international, he was fit enough for a spot on the bench at Fulham last month.
He has since played his first minutes for United in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Lausanne-Sport and is expected to feature against Spurs on Saturday. Another player who travelled down to London before the international break was Matthijs de Ligt.
De Ligt has been missing for 10 months with a troublesome back injury. The centre-back was only expected to be missing for a short period when he first picked up the issue, but in May, he was forced to undergo surgery to correct the issue.
Despite travelling with the squad for the clash against Fulham, he was not with his teammates as they arrived at Craven Cottage. It is understood this was always the plan and was not due to a setback. There is an expectation that De Ligt will be among the substitutes against either Atletico Madrid or Como in the upcoming Champions League games.
While things appear to be going to plan for De Ligt, the same cannot be said for Benjamin Sesko. The centre-forward did not travel to Fulham and the following week withdrew from the Slovenia squad. A flare up of the shin injury that has troubled him since May continues to concern Sesko.
He was not spotted in the friendly against Lausanne-Sport, making him a doubt for this weekend. Marcus Rashford and Kobbie Mainoo also withdrew from the international break due to unknown injury issues. At this stage, neither are thought to be too serious and both could feature against Spurs.
United will be hoping Amad returns to the squad, sooner rather than later. He picked up an injury prior to the Hull opener and has not featured since. Carrick was hopeful Amad would be back in time for the clash with Tottenham, but that remains to be seen.
Carrick has also received worrying injury news from players on international duty. Patrick Dorgu appeared to pick up a hamstring injury during Denmark's clash with Wales and is being assessed at Carrington. Meanwhile, Noussair Mazraoui was forced off against Lesotho. The full-back duo are both doubts for the weekend.
Manuel Ugarte remains a long-term absentee. He picked up a serious knee injury at the World Cup and is not expected back until 2027.
Rashford, Baleba, Mainoo - Man United injury news latest and return dates ahead of Tottenham
Manchester United face Tottenham Hotspur this weekend as the Premier League returns following the international break
The Premier League returns this weekend following the international break, with Manchester United preparing to host Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford on Saturday evening. However, the Reds continue to contend with several injury concerns ahead of the clash.
The top flight has been paused for an extended three-week period due to the September and October international fixtures. Before the break, United were held to a 1-1 draw by Fulham, having previously suffered a 1-0 defeat to Manchester City in the derby.
A slow start to the season has already increased the pressure on Michael Carrick, with United winning just one of their opening five league matches, while drawing two and losing two.
Carrick will be targeting a much-needed victory against Spurs, who have endured an even tougher start under Roberto De Zerbi. Spurs currently sit bottom of the table with just two points to their name after losing three of their opening fixtures.
Ahead of Saturday's encounter, MEN Sport has taken a look at the latest injury news and fitness updates from the United camp.
Carlos Baleba
Injury: Ankle.
The Cameroonian is still awaiting his first competitive appearance since completing a £70million move from Brighton in the summer, although he did feature in a a behind-closed-doors friendly game vs Lausanne-Sport.
Potential return date: Vs Tottenham (H) - Sat 10 October
Benjamin Sesko
Injury: Shin.
The striker missed the Carabao Cup clash vs Brighton before the international break but was taken off in the second half and subsequently withdrew from the Slovenia squad.
What Sesko said: "I am very sorry that I will have to miss the national team's upcoming matches. I have always played for Slovenia - and always will - with heart and pride," he wrote on Instagram. "Right now, the most important thing is to focus fully on my recovery. I am already working on getting back on the pitch as soon as possible to help both the national team and my club once again.”
Potential return date: Late October/early November.
Kobbie Mainoo
Injury: An unspecified problem and load management.
Mainoo was one of the players to withdraw from international duty before the start of the international break.
Potential return date: Vs Tottenham (H) - Sat 10 October.
Patrick Dorgu
Injury: Thigh.
The defender's involvement against Wales lasted only half an hour before he was replaced, and he has since withdrawn from Denmark duty for the rest of the international break.
Potential return date: Unknown.
Matthijs de Ligt
Injury: Back
The defender has been a long-term absentee with a back injury, but could be closing in on a return.
What Carrick has said: "Matta is just working his way back, really. So I don’t want to, because of how it’s been, put too much of a timeframe on it."
Potential return date: November.
Marcus Rashford
Injury: Unknown.
The forward's outing against Fulham was cut short after he was substituted, with the player later withdrawing from international duty with England.
What Carrick said: "We had to bring him off, as he had a bit of an issue. I'm not sure [if he's alright].”
Potential return date: Vs Tottenham (H) - Sat 10 October
Amad
Injury: Knock.
Amad is yet to feature this season due to an injury he suffered on the eve of the Premier League opener against Hull City. He has, however, hinted that a return may not be far away.
What Carrick said: "Amad, hopefully, by the time we get back, he will have trained with the group. That's a positive."
Potential return date: Vs Tottenham (H) - Sat 10 October.
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Noussair Mazraoui
Injury: Back.
The defender picked up a potential injury setback while on international duty, having been withdrawn during Morocco's win over Lesotho. The severity of the injury is not yet known.
Potential return date: Unknown.
Manuel Ugarte
Injury: Knee
The midfielder suffered a knee ligament injury while representing Uruguay at the World Cup this summer.
Potential return date: Unknown.
Karl Darlow
Injury: Minor procedure.
The summer recruit has not yet featured following a minor operation in the off-season, while he has also withdrawn from Wales duty during the international break.
Potential return date: October.
Tom Heaton
Injury: Hamstring.
The goalkeeper sustained the injury ahead of the start of the season.
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Fernandes, Dorgu, Mazraoui - Man United latest injury news and return dates
Manchester United are dealing with several injury concerns with the international break ongoing
Manchester United still have almost two weeks to go before they return to Premier League action, and have some injury concerns to manage before their first match. United will face Tottenham Hotspur on October 10 at Old Trafford, but face a nervous wait over the fitness of some members of their squad.
Several United players linked up with their respective national teams during the extended international break and there have already been some fresh injury concerns to deal with.
Michael Carrick has been forced to deal with several United players being unavailable through injury in the early weeks of the season and the Reds' manager will hope that improves after the international break.
Here, the Manchester Evening News takes a look at the latest United injury news and potential return dates...
Noussair Mazraoui
United were handed a fresh injury blow on Tuesday when Noussair Mazraoui was substituted during Morocco’s win over Lesotho.
Mazraoui was substituted after undergoing treatment for an unspecified fitness concern, and it remains to be seen if it results in the United star being unavailable for the Reds after the international break.
Potential return date: Unknown.
Marcus Rashford
Marcus Rashford was withdrawn from the England squad at the start of the international break, having been withdrawn with a fitness issue in their draw with Fulham earlier this month.
Carrick said: "We had to bring him off, as he had a bit of an issue. I'm not sure [if he's alright].
Potential return date: Tottenham Hotspur (H) - October 10 - Premier League.
Kobbie Mainoo
Kobbie Mainoo was also named in the England squad by Thomas Tuchel but was withdrawn at the start of the international break.
It remains to be seen if the midfielder will be available for when Premier League football returns next month.
Potential return date: Tottenham Hotspur (H) - October 10 - Premier League.
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Patrick Dorgu
Patrick Dorgu handed United a fresh injury blow after being withdrawn during Denmark’s win over Wales at the weekend.
Dorgu was substituted with a suspected injury during the Nations League match in Copenhagen, and it’s unclear if the injury will keep him on the sidelines for when United return to action.
Potential return date: Unknown.
Bruno Fernandes
Bruno Fernandes missed Portugal’s win over Norway at the weekend through injury, but could return on Thursday when his country faces Denmark.
Portugal boss Jorge Jesus said: "In the game against Wales, we went in with all the available players but Bruno Fernandes came off with a complicated problem.
"We’ll see what happens until tomorrow. Experience tells me that on the third day not all players manage to recover but that’s the same for Norway as for us. However, the player who comes in gives as many guarantees as the one who might come off, that’s what I’ll base my decision on.
"The [Fernandes] case involves treatment and recovery time. He’s coming off an injury at United, and he told me he’s been playing with that pain for the last three games, which is hindering him.
"It was one of the factors that prevented Bruno from playing at his best against Wales. I’ve already spoken to him and I prefer not to risk it in this game so he’s fully fit for the Denmark match."
Potential return date: Tottenham Hotspur (H) - October 10 - Premier League.
Benjamin Sesko
Benjamin Sesko was withdrawn from the Slovenia squad after missing United’s draw with Fulham due to injury.
It remains to be seen if the striker will be available after United return to action following the international break.
Carrick said: "He just felt a little bit of pain after the game the other night [vs Brighton]. We're assessing that. Hopefully, it's not too bad, but we will have to see."
Potential return date: Unknown.
Amad Diallo
Amad Diallo has yet to feature for United this season due to an injury he suffered before the campaign began.
Carrick has previously expressed hope that Amad will return to training during the international break and the player himself uploaded a picture onto the social media platform Instagram teasing a comeback.
Carricki said: "Amad, hopefully, by the time we get back, he will have trained with the group. That's a positive."
Potential return date: Tottenham Hotspur (H) - October 10 - Premier League.
Matthijs de Ligt
Matthijs de Ligt has not featured for United since November last year due to a back injury, but has been stepping up his recovery in recent weeks.
Carrick said: "Matta is just working his way back, really. So I don’t want to, because of how it’s been, put too much of a timeframe on it."
Potential return date: October/November.
Manuel Ugarte
Manuel Ugarte suffered a serious knee injury during the World Cup and subsequently underwent surgery.
The midfielder is not expected to return until next year and it remains to be seen if he will feature before the end of the season.
Potential return date: Unknown.
Karl Darlow
Karl Darlow was withdrawn from the Wales squad at the start of the international break and it remains to be seen if the summer signing will be available for the clash against Tottenham next month.
Potential return date: Tottenham Hotspur (H) - October 10 - Premier League.
Tom Heaton
Tom Heaton suffered an injury before the start of the Premier League season that has stopped the goalkeeper from making his first appearance in a matchday squad this term.
Omar Marmoush has joined Savinho in swapping Manchester City for Tottenham Hotspur this summer.
Everything you need to know about Omar Marmoush's move from Manchester City
Omar Marmoush has completed his move from Manchester City to Tottenham.
The club have agreed to loan the 27-year-old to Spurs for the season, but the move will be made permanent next summer with a fee of £60m agreed between the two sides.
Marmoush moved to the Etihad from Frankfurt in January 2025, playing 62 times for City and scoring 16 goals.
In a statement on their website, City confirmed the exit of the Egypt international, ending with the sentence: "Everyone at City would like to wish Omar good luck with his loan switch to Spurs.
Marmoush becomes the latest player to leave the Etihad in what has been a summer of change under new head coach Enzo Maresca.
Tijjani Reijnders, James Trafford, Rodri, Nico Gonzalez and Savinho have already been sold this summer, and that's without mentioning Bernardo Silva and John Stones, whose contracts expired at the end of last season.
City confirmed earlier in the summer they would be looking to replace any player who left the club in the final weeks of the window.
Palmeiras forward Allan is on his way to the Etihad with the move likely to be made official in the coming days.
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Man City announce club-record sale as Savinho to Tottenham transfer explained - 'His personality'
Savinho has completed his move from Manchester City to Tottenham in a club-record sale
Everything you need to know about Savinho's move from Manchester City to Tottenham...
Savinho has completed a move to Spurs from City for an initial £75million deal in what is a club-record sale for the Blues.
City will also earn an extra £5million in a guaranteed payment with the prospect of a further £5million in bonuses.
Savinho said of joining Spurs: "It's taken a while but I'm very happy to be here. It's a wonderful opportunity at a brilliant club with one of the best managers in the world. As soon as I spoke to the head coach I knew I had to come. He told me he wants to help me reach the highest level, and I believe we can do that together, as a team."
Spurs boss Roberto De Zerbi said: "Savinho is a player who brings energy, imagination and quality in wide positions. He has the courage to attack defenders and the ability to change a game with his creativity. We’re very pleased to have him with us, and I’m looking forward to working with him, helping him continue to grow and seeing him bring his personality to the team.”
Spurs Sporting Director Johan Lange said: "Savinho is someone who has been on our radar for a while and I'm delighted that he is now a Tottenham Hotspur player. He has already shown his quality at the highest level, and we believe his ability, style and mentality will be a great fit for the squad we are building here. I know he will excite our supporters every time he gets on the ball and I'm looking forward to watching his development under Roberto's coaching."
Savinho also had a message for City after leaving: “My teammates, the staff, the fans… all of them were brilliant with me. I am a better player and better person having spent time at City. As soon as I joined City, I knew what a top club it was. They provide players with so much to help them and make sure they improve. I will always be grateful to them for that. I enjoyed my time there immensely, especially winning the FA Cup and Carabao Cup last season - moments I will treasure. I learned a lot while at City and it was an honour to play with my brilliant teammates. I wish City the very best for the future.”
Read our analysis on Savinho's departure here.
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