Martinez, Sesko and De Ligt: Man United injury news and return dates ahead of Leeds United
Manchester United injury news update ahead of their clash with Leeds United
Manchester United will emerge from the international break buoyed by one excellent piece of news. Thanks to Arsenal’s 1-0 Champions League quarter-final first leg win over Sporting CP, the Premier League has now earned a fifth guaranteed spot in UEFA’s elite competition for 2026/27.
As things stand, the revived Red Devils are sitting third in the Premier League table, a solid seven points clear of Chelsea in sixth, and have a fine chance of booking their place in next season’s Champions League.
With just seven games of their domestic season left to play, United will be focusing on racking up the necessary points to end the campaign on a high, and they return to action on Monday next week when they face Leeds United at Old Trafford.
Ahead of Michael Carrick’s side’s upcoming clash, we’ve rounded up the latest injury news concerning his squad, with a number of players looking to regain fitness following the international break:
Manchester United injury update: defence
Matthjis de Ligt (lower back): The towering Dutchman hasn’t featured for the Red Devils since late November, after what appeared to initially be a fairly innocuous back injury turned out to be more serious.
Carrick has remained positive on the chances of De Ligt playing again this season, however, and he could potentially feature against Liverpool early next month.
Expected return date: Early May
Patrick Dorgu (thigh): Dorgu has missed eight matches in a row for United, as he continues to recover from a thigh injury. Carrick will be keen not to rush the Denmark international back too soon, with a late April/early May return looking most likely.
He looks set to be a key part of the United project going forward - unlike the nine players we’ve identified as looking likely to leave Old Trafford at the end of the season.
Expected return date: Late April/early May
Lisandro Martinez (lower leg): ‘The Butcher’ has had to swap his chopping block for the treatment table in recent weeks, after suffering a troublesome lower leg injury that has seen him unable to play for the last couple of months.
He was part of the United squad who travelled to Dublin earlier this week to step up their preparations for the Premier League run-in, and looks set to slot into defence to replace the suspended Harry Maguire against Leeds next week.
Expected return date: April 13th vs Leeds United
Manchester United injury update: midfield and attack
Benjamin Sesko (knee): United’s £74m big summer striker signing has had a fairly underwhelming first campaign at the club, but is on the brink of reaching double figures for his Premier League goals tally, with nine in 26 matches so far.
A knee issue saw the Slovenian forward withdraw from the international break, but there is confidence that he will be back in business next week in time to face Leeds.
Expected return date: April 13th vs Leeds United
Bryan Mbeumo (knock): Like Sesko, Mbeumo pulled out of the international break with injury. He had an unspecified knock that ruled him out of friendly matches against Australia and China.
He’ll also likely return against Leeds, adding some real power to United’s attack as they seek another big three points in the battle for Champions League qualification.
Mbeumo has been used in a number of positions across the forward line this season, but has mostly featured in a central attacking midfield role - he’s netted six times in the 19 times he’s played in the 2025/26 campaign thus far.
The 26-year-old has made a good case for him remaining a key player for United next season, and recent rumours suggest he could be joined at the club by Bayern Munich star Leon Goretzka, who looks set to leave the Bavarian giants this summer.
Expected return date: April 13th vs Leeds United