Manchester United go to Como with a depleted defence, and Matthijs de Ligt is expected to make his first start in almost a year.
United have won two of their nine matches this season and are without a victory in six, including a 2-0 defeat at Atlético Madrid and a 1-1 draw at Leeds on Sunday. They are 13th in the league phase on three points, level with 12th-placed Como.
Como are Champions League debutants and face English opposition for the first time.
Manchester United team news
Leny Yoro is suspended after his red card in Madrid, and Carrick confirmed that Lisandro Martinez (thigh), Ayden Heaven (illness) and Luke Shaw are out. Kobbie Mainoo is around ten days from a return, Marcus Rashford has a hip problem, and Patrick Dorgu (hamstring), Manuel Ugarte (knee) and Benjamin Sesko (shin) are also unavailable. Carrick said Martinez is “not too bad” and will be assessed for the weekend, while he hopes to have a clearer picture on Sesko by the end of the week.
Diogo Dalot, Harry Maguire, De Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui are the only senior defenders available. Carrick said De Ligt, who has been out for around 11 months with a back injury, is “ready”, and he is expected to start. Harry Amass is also in contention at left-back, with Carrick saying young players need their opportunity, though Dalot is expected to hold the position with Mazraoui on the right. Bryan Mbeumo is set to continue through the middle, with Matheus Cunha again likely to start on the bench.
Manchester United predicted lineup
Manchester United possible starting XI: Lammens; Mazraoui, Maguire, De Ligt, Dalot; Santos, Baleba; Amad, Tielemans, Fernandes; Mbeumo
When will the match kick off?
The Champions League match kicks off at 17:45 BST on Wednesday, 21 October 2026.
How to watch Como vs Manchester United?
The match will be broadcast live on TNT Sports 2 in the UK, with streaming via HBO Max.
Read more – Mac Allister explains what’s different for Liverpool under Iraola
See also – Mac Allister hails Ngumoha as Liverpool beat Villarreal in seven-goal thriller