Man United dealt midfield set-back as Carlos Baleba potentially out until Christmas

Baleba suffered a hamstring injury against Roma and faces several weeks out; his return before Christmas is uncertain.

Carlos Baleba pulled up with a hamstring injury in the first minute of the second half during Manchester United's match against Roma on Tuesday and went off in tears. Manager Michael Carrick confirmed the 22-year-old will miss several weeks of action, with his return timeline extending beyond the international break.

Baleba is now set to miss upcoming fixtures including the trip to Anfield on 22 November and the Champions League game against Sporting CP three days later. With United facing seven games in December, it remains unclear whether the £70m summer signing from Brighton will be fit to return before the end of the year, including the visit to Arsenal on December 20.

The injury compounds a difficult start to Baleba's United career, having missed the beginning of the season with an ankle problem and started just five games since his summer move. Carrick is also managing hamstring issues with Patrick Dorgu, who is slowly returning to training.