Patrick Rees
Manchester United manager, Jose Mourinho, and the players have arrived at the Lowry Hotel ahead of tonight’s Europa League clash against Zorya Luhansk.
Skipper Wayne Rooney has been selected for the game, but his spot in the starting XI is still a mystery. Furthermore, the report from Manchester United Evening News has stated that David De Gea has not been spotted and the more surprising news is; there are no signs of Memphis Depay either.
The manager has clearly mentioned that both Luke Shaw and Phil Jones are out injured, while Mkhitaryan, who was expected to play, will not feature tonight. Furthermore, it is expected that Rooney might stay on the bench this time around as well.
“Wayne Rooney is selected,” Mourinho said. “I haven’t decided yet if I start with him. He didn’t train yesterday, he did just a little bit of the session on Monday. He had a back problem so today [Wednesday] was the first time that he had a training session with the other players and today is the training session where the intensity and the complexity is obviously reduced because we have a game tomorrow.
“So I was completely convinced of playing him tomorrow from the beginning, but with this situation in the last couple of days I am not sure I’ll do that. Because with the situation that you create for him I think he really can’t afford to have a performance that is not really good.
“I am here to protect him and not to put him in difficult situations. I have to analyse if the best thing for him is to start the game and if he is not totally ready for it. So I am going to discuss that with him and the medical staff and decide if he starts or if he is on the bench.”
Anthony Martial is also available again after recovering from an injury suffered in the build-up to Watford’s opener earlier this month.
“He has now recovered from the concussion in his calf and in his ankle,” Mourinho added. “He has recovered and is ready for tomorrow.”
Luke Shaw is unwell, however.
“He’s ill,” Mourinho told reporters, before expanding on Shaw’s current state of fitness. “He has a temperature, a fever, a bad throat.
“He arrived this morning and immediately the doctor sent him home because one player like this in the middle of the other ones can affect others so he went home.”
Confirmed United squad members:
Romero
Johnstone
Darmian
Fosu-Mensah
Smalling
Bailly
Rojo
Fellaini
Carrick
Schneiderlin
Mata
Lingard
Young
Rooney
Martial
Ibrahimovic
Rashford
Probables:
Blind
Pogba
