De Ligt (back) continues working toward his return to competitive action after being named on the bench against Atletico Madrid on Tuesday, according to coach Michael Carrick. "Every training session and every day and every kind of week that goes by, being back around the group, being on the bench again... [He was] back on the bench the other night, I think it was a good step for him and just a little bit of patience, a little bit of working our way through it and getting him up to speed. It's great to have him around. He's obviously a lot happier when being back around the group. He's had a tough few months that he's had to work through, and credit to him for that, for being in the place that he is now. So yeah, we're delighted to have him back involved."
Analysis:De Ligt is gradually approaching his competitive comeback after spending nearly 11 months sidelined with a back injury. The Dutch center-back returned to Manchester United's matchday squad for Tuesday's Champions League defeat against Atletico Madrid but remained an unused substitute. His return to regular training represents an important milestone, although he still needs time to rebuild his match fitness before competing for a starting role. De Ligt could remain among the substitutes for Sunday's clash against Leeds United, with his first appearance of the season potentially coming off the bench.
