Man United injury update: Shaw, Mainoo and Šeško latest before Leeds
Michael Carrick has given the latest on Luke Shaw, Kobbie Mainoo and Benjamin Šeško before Manchester United host Leeds, with no diagnosis or return date confirmed for any of the three.
Michael Carrick's latest Manchester United injury update left more questions than answers. Speaking on 16 October 2026 ahead of Sunday's Premier League game against Leeds United, the United head coach said only that the club would “see on Luke and Kobbie”, referring to Luke Shaw and Kobbie Mainoo, while striker Benjamin Šeško was still undergoing checks. The club has not given a diagnosis or a return date for any of the three, leaving Carrick to plan around a lengthening absentee list during a difficult run of results.
How Shaw and Mainoo got injured against Tottenham
Both Shaw and Mainoo picked up problems in United's 1-1 Premier League draw with Tottenham on Saturday 10 October. It was an eventful afternoon: Tottenham's Rodrigo Bentancur was sent off for headbutting Shaw, yet Spurs still managed to equalise in stoppage time, according to PA. Neither United player came off early. Shaw stayed on until the fifth minute of added time and Mainoo completed the full 90 minutes, which is why the extent of their issues only became clear afterwards.
Neither player trained at Carrington on Monday 12 October. At his press conference that day, Carrick confirmed, as reported by CaughtOffside, that the pair had not travelled with the squad, explaining that both had picked up issues in the Saturday game, were working through them and were not available for the following day's match.
Shaw and Mainoo miss Atlético Madrid trip
That match was the Champions League visit to Atlético Madrid on Tuesday 13 October, and both players stayed in Manchester. Neither has been given a public diagnosis. Carrick's wording on 16 October, quoted by Yahoo Sports, was deliberately non-committal: a decision on both would be made closer to the Leeds game.
Shaw's absence is particularly awkward because, as reports have noted, United did not sign a specialist left-back in the summer to provide cover for him. Patrick Dorgu, another option on that flank, was also unavailable, which narrows Carrick's choices further.
Benjamin Šeško: no timeline yet
The situation of the Slovenian striker is the most uncertain. Šeško remained out of the squad in mid-October with no return timeline. Carrick said on 16 October, according to Fantasy Football Scout, that the forward was still undergoing a few checks before the club gave any updates on timelines; Yahoo Sports quoted him as saying Šeško was still undergoing a couple of checks. Fantasy Football Scout listed the problem as a calf issue.
The latest absence follows an earlier setback. United confirmed during the September-October international window that Šeško had withdrawn from Slovenia's squad with a recurring shin problem, aggravated in the League Cup defeat to Brighton, and that he would undergo tests, as SoccerNews and other outlets reported. Since then he has missed the 1-1 Premier League draw at Fulham, the 1-1 draw with Tottenham and, according to PA, the Champions League match at Atlético. Reports also say he missed the final games of the 2025-26 season and the whole of United's pre-season because of a shin problem.
Manchester United absentees at a glance
| Player | Status (16 October) |
|---|---|
| Luke Shaw | Issue from Spurs game; to be assessed before Leeds |
| Kobbie Mainoo | Issue from Spurs game; to be assessed before Leeds |
| Benjamin Šeško | Still undergoing checks; listed as calf issue by Fantasy Football Scout |
| Patrick Dorgu | Unavailable |
| Noussair Mazraoui | Unavailable |
| Manuel Ugarte | Long-term absentee |
| Matthijs de Ligt | Back in training after long back injury |
Impact on Manchester United's form and the table
The injuries have arrived at a poor time. United had gone four games without a win as of the Tottenham draw, a match in which summer signing Carlos Baleba made his debut off the bench, according to PA. The Premier League standings in Yalla Shoot data show the cost: Manchester United are 13th with six points from six games, one win, three draws and two defeats, with nine goals scored and nine conceded.
Sunday's opponents, Leeds United, sit seventh on nine points and have conceded only five league goals, so United will need to find a way through a side that has been hard to score against. Without Šeško, the goal threat rests largely on others: Yalla Shoot data credits Bryan Mbeumo and Bruno Fernandes with three league goals each. In midfield and at left-back, Carrick may have to reshuffle again if Mainoo and Shaw are not cleared in time.
There is one positive. Matthijs de Ligt has returned to training after a long back injury, giving Carrick an extra defensive body as he looks to stabilise the side.
Background: three key players for United
Shaw, an England international, joined United from Southampton in 2014 and has had a long history of injuries during his time at Old Trafford. Mainoo is an academy graduate who scored in the 2024 FA Cup final victory over Manchester City, and he has been a central figure in midfield when fit. Šeško joined from RB Leipzig in the summer of 2025 and is a Slovenia international striker. Carrick, a former United midfielder, now has to manage without all three at a key stage of the autumn.
What's next
The first answers will come on Sunday, when the team sheet for the Leeds match shows whether Shaw and Mainoo have recovered in time. On Šeško, United have said they will wait for the results of the ongoing checks before updating on a timeline. Until then, his return date remains unknown. Follow the game and every United fixture with live scores and line-ups on our live page.