bournemouth manager will prepare for a Manchester United side missing centre-back Matthijs de Ligt after Michael Carrick admitted he does not know when the defender will be fit to play again. Carrick, the Manchester United boss, said the nature of de Ligt’s back injury makes it impossible to give a firm timescale. De Ligt has been sidelined for months and will have been out of action for more than four months by the time United next play at Old Trafford against Leeds on 13 April (ET).
Bournemouth Manager reaction and match context
Manchester United travel to face Bournemouth while dealing with the uncertainty around one of their defensive starters. De Ligt, who has made 56 appearances and scored three goals for Manchester United, last featured in late November and has not returned to first-team training with the rest of the squad. The club will have to manage selection and defensive balance without a clear return date for the 26-year-old.
Injury timeline and current status
De Ligt was an ever-present in United’s defence for the first 13 games of the season before unexpectedly missing the home match with West Ham on 4 December with a back problem. That absence has extended: one account notes his last appearance was 110 days ago, while another places his absence at more than four months by the time United play Leeds at Old Trafford on 13 April (ET). Carrick described the recovery as slow and unpredictable: “It’s difficult to say, just because it’s taken that much time, ” Michael Carrick, Manchester United boss, said. He added, “With backs sometimes you think it’s all right and all of a sudden it’s not quite right. We’re just being patient and working through it. We’ll give him time and try to get him back as quickly as we can, but it’s really difficult to say. “
Immediate reactions from club figures
Ruben Amorim, the former Manchester United head coach who initially called the issue “a small thing, ” had expected de Ligt back within days after the first absence. That optimism has been overtaken by a longer recovery, and hopes that de Ligt would be part of the Netherlands squad for summer international competition are now receding. Ronald Koeman, the national coach who had previously picked de Ligt for qualifying matches, had included him in plans before the injury prolonged his absence. Carrick resisted speculation about surgical options, saying, “I don’t want to get into that at this stage. We’ll try and do whatever we can to help and we’re working through that now. I’m not trying to hide anything. He’s improving. It’s just not as quick as we all hope. “
What happens next
With the immediate fixture list approaching and no clear return date, the club will balance caution against the imperative to maintain form and pursue Champions League qualification. Medical staff and coaching will continue to work on de Ligt’s recovery while the squad prepares for matches through April (ET). The situation will be monitored match by match, and the role of the bournemouth manager in the coming fixture will be shaped by United’s available defensive options and any update from Carrick or the club’s medical team.
bournemouth manager and opposing staff should expect further updates only when the club can confirm progress; for now, Michael Carrick’s message is one of uncertainty and patience as de Ligt works through a slow recovery.
