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Man United 3-2 Roma: Carlos Baleba injury update as 'hamstring' return timeline assessed after Champions League victory

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Michael Carrick revealed that he is worried about the extent of Carlos Baleba 's hamstring injury following his side's victory against Roma. The Red Devils mounted a late comeback in the Champions League against the Serie A visitors, overturning a2-0 deficit to win 3-2 on Tuesday.

While the win will be seen as a major positive by Carrick, midfielder Baleba was forced off the pitch in the51st minute after holding his hamstring. Speaking to reporters in the aftermath of the game, the head coach admitted that the 22-year-old's injury did not look good, saying: "I haven't got any more news on Carlos at this stage but obviously it's his hamstring and we'll have to assess it more in the next few days.

The midfielder was dealing with an ankle injury before joining United in the summer, and there are fears that he could be set for an extended period on the treatment table. It goes from bad to worse for Manchester United.

Moments after halftime, Carlos Baleba was looking to sprint in on goal, but was unable to finish as he pulled up clutching his hamstring. He's not going to be able to continue and the injury blow means Youri Tielemans will come on.?

Hamstring injuries vary in recovery time, and every United fan will hope that Baleba has suffered a Grade 1 issue, which could see him return in just a few days. A Grade 2 issue would involve a partial tear of the muscle or tendon, and that would require at least three weeks on the sidelines, though recovery could take as long as six weeks.

The nightmare scenario for United would be if the midfielder has suffered a Grade 3 injury, which could take at least eight weeks to heal. Regardless of the type of hamstring injury Baleba has suffered, no fan should expect to see him in the starting lineup on Sunday against Aston Villa in the Premier League.

While the nature of the win will have fuelled hope among United supporters, it cannot be ignored that they could easily have been beaten by Roma. The Red Devils' game against Villa will be fraught with difficulties, and there is a real chance that the club could head into the international break with just one win in 11 matches.

Carrick should not expect to be in the dugout beyond the weekend, and even if he survives until the return of domestic football, United's first game back is against Liverpool at Anfield on November 22. The head coach will understand that a single victory will mean little for his future, while a damaging defeat this weekend could be fatal."

Sebastian Hox

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Sebastian Hox

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