Carrick Unsure on De Ligt's Return This Season

Manchester United manager Michael Carrick expressed uncertainty on Thursday about whether defender Matthijs de Ligt will return to action this season, as the 26-year-old Dutch center-back continues to battle a persistent back injury. De Ligt has not played since United's 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace on November 30, leaving the third-placed club to prepare for Friday's Premier League match at Bournemouth without him.

The injury, initially described as minor, has lingered far longer than anticipated, sidelining De Ligt for more than three months. He featured in every minute of United's first 13 league games this season under then-coach Ruben Amorim, establishing himself as a key part of the defense after his 38.5 million-pound transfer from Bayern Munich. However, repeated attempts to resume training have been thwarted by recurring discomfort, complicating the recovery process.

"It's difficult to say, just because it's taken that much time," Carrick told reporters. "It's one of those things with backs that sometimes you think it's all right, and then all of a sudden it's not quite right. We're just being patient and working through it. We'll obviously give him time and try to...