Manchester United have endured their share of fitness problems this autumn, but the international break has at least brought a couple of encouraging signs for Michael Carrick. Carlos Baleba and Matthijs de Ligt both returned to the pitch, offering a rare lift amid an otherwise difficult spell.

Baleba is still waiting to make his Manchester United debut after arriving from Brighton in a deal that could rise to £70 million ($92.5 million). The Cameroon international was named among the substitutes for the trip to Fulham just before the break, though he remained unused as the match ended in a 1-1 draw. Carrick had already noted that the 22-year-old is “pushing to get back as quickly as possible”, and the friendly against Lausanne provided a chance to give him minutes.

Lausanne, who are currently bottom of the Swiss top flight, also offered a manageable test for de Ligt as he continues his return from a long layoff. The centre-back has spent close to a year out of action, with his most recent competitive appearance for the club coming in November 2025, when Ruben Amorim was still in charge.

De Ligt had surgery in May on a persistent back issue, a problem that also ruled him out of this summer’s World Cup. He has recently rejoined first-team training and then took another step forward by appearing for United in the behind-closed-doors friendly. A competitive comeback is still uncertain, although the Manchester Evening News suggest he could be ready as soon as next weekend’s Premier League meeting with Tottenham Hotspur.

Not everything has gone smoothly for Carrick during the break. Marcus Rashford and Kobbie Mainoo both withdrew from England duty before playing a part, with an ongoing hip problem cited for Rashford and no explanation given for Mainoo’s absence.

Benjamin Šeško also missed out on joining Slovenia’s camp after a shin problem returned at the end of September. He said: “I am already working on getting back on the pitch as soon as possible to help both the national team and my club once again,”

Paul Scholes has taken a sharply different line from Wayne Rooney over the idea of a retrospective Premier League title being handed out if Manchester City are punished over financial breaches. The former Manchester United midfielder made clear that he would not turn down a medal, even if the circumstances were far from ideal.

City have been found to have misreported revenues by more than $1.2 billion (£900 million) over the nine seasons from 2009-10 to 2017-18. Within that stretch, the club collected three league crowns, including the 2011-12 title that was secured on the final kick of the season and denied to a Manchester United side featuring both Rooney and Scholes.

Rooney has already said he “wouldn’t feel comfortable” accepting a medal for that campaign. He also argued, “I don’t think we deserve it. We didn’t do enough that season to win the league,” setting out why he would not want the title awarded after the fact.

Scholes responded with a much firmer position on social media. “Keep hearing ex-teammates saying they want trophies taking off them but they don’t want their medals…” Scholes wrote on social media, “f— that I’m a greedy b—— I want my medal.”

The debate comes against the backdrop of City’s guilty verdict, which remains subject to appeal. The finding was made by an independent judicial commission after two years of deliberation, and the club have said they will explore “all other legal avenues” available, including a further challenge to the Premier League or even involving the High Court of England and Wales.

For now, any possible sanction is still unresolved. But if the Premier League eventually moves to strip titles, the competition would have the authority to do so, including the possibility of redistributing medals. Even so, the first reaction reported was that clubs had “little appetite” for titles being removed, let alone reassigned, given the scale of time covered by the investigation.

Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens has responded calmly to renewed scrutiny from Paul Scholes, making clear that outside opinion will not unsettle him.

Scholes questioned whether the Belgian is ready to carry a side with title ambitions, arguing that elite goalkeepers are central to Premier League success. He said: “What team have you seen win the Premier League without a top-class goalkeeper?” Scholes added: “Lammens might be that, I don’t know, I think the jury’s probably still out on that.”

Lammens, now away from United and with Belgium, did not appear troubled by the comments. He used the moment to underline the mindset that helped draw United to him in the first place, saying: “I have not changed character by playing football at Manchester United,” he laughed. “You have to be mentally strong and self-confident in the face of all those people who express their opinions. I can imagine that this is not easy for everyone.

“I love playing all those Premier League matches. Premier League, Nations League … that doesn’t feel any different.”

His appeal has always rested on a straightforward approach. Signed in 2025 as the contrast to André Onana, Lammens was viewed by United as a goalkeeper who could provide calm and security after a spell marked by frustration.

That has not meant a spotless record. He has made mistakes of his own, including a costly error at the World Cup that contributed to Belgium’s quarterfinal exit. Even so, the 24-year-old has moved on quickly and continues to be regarded as dependable.

Belgium manager Mark van Bommel offered a similar assessment, saying: “Senne’s strength is that he always remains the same regardless of the circumstances,” van Bommel reflected. “That’s his character and his quality.”