Premier League2 hours ago2 minute read

Major Injury Blow for Manchester United as Carlos Baleba Facing Weeks Out

Carlos Baleba is sidelined with a hamstring injury following Manchester United's 3-2 victory against Roma.

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Midfield Blow for United

Manchester United midfielder Carlos Baleba faces a long period out after injuring his hamstring against Roma. The 70 million pound summer signing from Brighton limped off early in the second half during Tuesday's 3-2 victory at Old Trafford.

Baleba appeared to be in tears while receiving treatment on the pitch. Manager Michael Carrick confirmed the bad news during his Friday news conference, explaining that the midfielder will miss several matches.

Carrick said that the club does not know the exact timeline, but it will be a number of weeks. He added that Baleba will definitely not play this week and will not return over the upcoming international break.

Stopping the Winless Run

The midweek victory over Roma ended a painful run of nine games without a win for Manchester United. Even so, Carrick refused to get carried away by the result, pointing out that it was only one match.

The 45 year old manager wants his squad to focus on the long road ahead. United currently hover just above the Premier League relegation zone, meaning there is still plenty of work left to do.

Carrick noted that nothing is done or achieved yet. He called the Roma result one moment in time that the squad must use to move forward.

Building Momentum

Despite keeping things in perspective, Carrick recognized the positive atmosphere at Old Trafford on Tuesday. He described the win as a fantastic night for everyone at the club, especially the supporters.

Now the priority is consistency. The players need to take that good feeling into their upcoming league fixtures if they want to move away from the bottom of the table.

United need more performances like Tuesday night if they want to turn their season around properly.

What it means for the next game

United host Aston Villa on Sunday, looking to build on their European win and step further away from the relegation zone.

Manchester United vs Aston Villa (Premier League, Sun, 08 Nov): Manchester United win 43%, draw 26%, Aston Villa win 31%; expected goals 1.62 to 1.35. Our safest pick: Over 1.5 goals.