Michael Carrick has explained why Marcus Rashford did not feature for Manchester United against Leeds on Saturday.

The forward was thought to be close to a highly-anticipated return in his boyhood club’s colours, after 19 months away.

His last appearance came in December 2024, and he was loaned to Aston Villa shortly after for the remainder of the 2024-25 campaign.

The England international joined Barcelona on another loan in 2025, spending the year in Spain having been part of Ruben Amorim’s ‘bomb squad’.

Despite the La Liga side holding an option to buy the winger, they decided to sign Anthony Gordon and Karim Adeyemi from Newcastle and Borussia Dortmund respectively, sending Rashford back to United, where he has now been reintegrated back into the first-team fold.

He had joined up with his team-mates in Ireland after an extended break following England’s run to the World Cup semi-finals, and he was expected to feature briefly in Dublin against familiar foes Leeds. However, he was surprisingly omitted entirely from the matchday squad.

Ahead of the Red Devils’ 1-1 draw at Croke Park, Carrick told MUTV: "Marcus, Licha [Martinez] and Kobbie [Mainoo] aren't quite ready yet. We're preserving them for this weekend."

The United boss, who was handed the reins on a permanent basis after leading the club to a third-placed finish last term, seemed to confirm that Rashford would be staying at Old Trafford beyond the conclusion of this summer’s transfer window, despite rumours linking him elsewhere.

"He's our player,” Carrick told ITV after the game.

“He's come back great. He's just like any other player. I've known him a long time and he gives us something a little bit different. We're looking forward to the start of the season."

United take on Amorim’s AC Milan in their final pre-season friendly this weekend, before they open their new Premier League campaign at newly-promoted Hull City.