Man Utd Star Michael Carrick Picks up Mystery Illness as Mourinho Looks to Manage Depleted Squad

It transpired to be a great weekend for Manchester United, as Jose Mourinho's men fought through a dogged affair against Tottenham, coming away as 1-0 victors at Old Trafford.

After the 2-1 loss against Huddersfield in a performance where the Red Devils attitude were brought into question, it's safe to say anything less than three points on Saturday would have been an under-achievement, as United chase 'noisy neighbours' City - currently sitting pretty five points clear at the top of the table after 10 games.

Mourinho's efforts to push for a serious challenge are currently being hindered by his growing list of absentees every week as: Paul Pogba, Marouane Fellaini, Marcos Rojo, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Michael Carrick have all been missing through long-term injuries.

It now looks as though things could be worse for United, as one of these stars has been hit with a "mystery illness" ahead of a full recovery, according to The Sun

The player suffering is 36-year-old captain, Michael Carrick. United could now be forced into overworking their current midfield partnership in Ander Herrera and Nemanja Matic as they're left short by the Englishman's absence, potentially leading to further injury worries.

Carrick had been side-lined after feeling dizzy and sick six weeks ago against Burton in the EFL Cup, as United’s medical chief Steve McNally searched for a solution. It's now been reported that the issue has resurfaced in training once again leaving the United skipper facing another indeterminate stint away from the pitch.

This will heap frustration on Mourinho who claimed at the start of the season that Carrick would have a "big part to play" in what looked to be a pretty stacked position in terms of options for United at the time.

The special one now has a headache in terms of midfield selection for Tuesday's Champions League clash against Benfica at Old Trafford, as he looks to manage his depleted squad in multiple competitions while preventing further injuries.