Carlos Baleba Debut Gives Manchester United Fresh Lift Ahead of Tottenham

Manchester United finally got Carlos Baleba on the pitch, and that matters. After a £70 million move from Brighton in the summer, the midfielder had yet to play a minute because of an ankle issue he carried into Old Trafford. On Friday, that wait ended in a behind-closed-doors 2-1 win over Lausanne Sport at Carrington.

For Michael Carrick, this was practical more than symbolic. United return to Premier League action next weekend against Tottenham, and Baleba now looks far closer to being a genuine option. He was on the bench for the 1-1 draw at Fulham, but remained unused as United drifted through a poor result in west London.

Baleba Debut Arrives at Right Time

The Baleba debut gives United something they have lacked, energy and presence in midfield. At 22, he arrives with expectation because of the fee and because Carrick pushed to get him in as the final signing of his first permanent transfer window. The delay has been frustrating, but the important part now is availability.

There was more good news beyond Baleba. Matthijs de Ligt started in central defence, his first appearance since November last year after a serious back problem. He did not feature at all under Carrick after the head coach replaced Ruben Amorim in January last season, so this was overdue.

Matthijs de Ligt Return Could Help United Defence

United’s defence has looked vulnerable for too long, and De Ligt’s return could help steady it. That does not solve everything, but it gives Carrick another senior option in an area where reliability has been scarce.

Harry Maguire and Matheus Cunha also featured, with several first-team players involved because they were not away on international duty. It was a low-key friendly, but the timing is useful. United do not need noise here, they need players back. Baleba and De Ligt moving closer to full involvement is a far better outcome than any scoreline from a private game.