Rohan Sengupta
Manchester United shift their focus on the Champions League following their 2-0 win over Huddersfield Town in the FA Cup 5th round on Saturday. The reward for United’s win at Huddersfield is a home tie against Chris Hughton’s Brighton in the quarterfinals of the FA Cup.
But it is time for the Red Devils to keep everything aside and focus on the upcoming game against Sevilla in the Champions League.
Jose Mourinho will be happy to see his team bounce back to winning ways but is concerned with mounting injury problems ahead of their trip to Sevilla.
Ander Herrera, Phil Jones, Marcus Rashford, Antonio Valencia, Marcos Rojo, Marouane Fellaini and Zlatan Ibrahimovic all missed out due to injury, while Paul Pogba was sidelined by illness against Huddersfield in the FA Cup.
The game against Sevilla on Wednesday will be followed by Chelsea’s visit to Old Trafford on Sunday. And Mourinho is hopeful some of his key players will be fit in time for Wednesday’s game.
“I didn’t rest one single player, so we had every player available here” Mourinho told Sky Sports.
“I brought two kids (Ethan Hamilton and Angel Gomes) that played 90 minutes yesterday (for the U23s) because I don’t have another player. Can we recover some of them for Wednesday? I believe so.
“Rashford, Herrera, Valencia, I think they have a chance. Paul (Pogba), I don’t know. Marcos Rojo, Phil Jones, Marouane, Zlatan – I don’t think they have any chance, so we arrive at this crucial moment with some problems.
“But I think the mentality is very important. And we have a strong team, strong bonding, strong team mentality. We know it is a very difficult match – but we go for it.”
Rashford and Herrera have missed the last couple of games due to injury but Valencia featured in the previous Premier League game, at Newcastle United.
The recent news about Rojo and Jones’ injury means Eric Bailly’s return to fitness – he came on as a substitute in the dying minutes against Huddersfield- is a timely boost for United.
However, United remain hopeful that Pogba will be available for the Champions League tie with Sevilla this week after he trained on Sunday. As per the ESPN, the Frenchman’s chances of making it to Spain have been boosted after he recovered to take part in training at Carrington on Sunday.
Mourinho’s men United will hope to earn a positive result in the first leg ahead of the second leg at Old Trafford on March 13.
