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Manchester United Under-21s' line-up for their Premier League 2 match against Fulham on Friday night hinted at potential additions to Michael Carrick's first squad as interim head coach. United face Manchester City in the Premier League on Saturday, aiming to put a dent in their city rivals' title hopes.

It is Carrick's debut match at the helm after being appointed as interim head coach until the season's end. United come into the game following two disappointing results after Ruben Amorim's departure. First came a 2-2 stalemate with Burnley in the league. United were then knocked out of the FA Cup by Brighton and Hove Albion.

In the last two matches, academy player Shea Lacey was brought on from the bench by Darren Fletcher; however, the forward will miss the City clash after receiving a red card against Brighton. Jack Fletcher and Tyler Fletcher remained unused substitutes at Old Trafford, while Bendito Mantato has also seen first-team action this season, featuring for over 15 minutes in the 1-1 draw against Wolves.

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On Friday night, Tom Curtis' side secured a 2-2 draw at Fulham, preserving their three-point lead at the top of the table. Lacey scored twice in the first 22 minutes to give United the lead before Farhaan Al-Wahid netted a brace to equalise.

The squad chosen at Motspur Park was far from full strength, suggesting certain players would be at Old Trafford instead. Jack Fletcher, Tyler Fredricson, Tyrell Malacia - who found the net in the Under-21s' triumph over Wolves earlier this week - and Mantato were all conspicuously absent.

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Lacey and Tyler Fletcher featured in the starting line-up alongside Diego Leon. Chido Obi was introduced from the substitutes' bench after 60 minutes, despite having netted twice in the 4-1 thrashing of Wolves.

Whether the quartet who sat out Friday evening's fixture will feature in the United squad for the City encounter remains unclear. Carrick will benefit from having Amad and Bryan Mbeumo available for the first time since their return from the African Cup of Nations.

Harry Maguire has also recovered from injury, having made his comeback in the cup loss to Brighton. Matthijs de Ligt remains sidelined, though optimism surrounds his imminent return.

Carrick said: "Matthijs de Ligt has been carrying a bit of an issue, but hopefully, we'll get him back in some time soon. It's been a little bit slower than they thought previously.

"All in all, the boys are in good shape. I just feel the energy, whether it's fresh or not!

"Obviously, I'm delighted to be here. I want to work a certain way, I want to enjoy what we do and work hard to get success. The boys have put the work in this week, and we feel we're ready."

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