Manchester United's defensive injury crisis could significantly ease in time for the visit of Arsenal on Wednesday night after Antonio Valencia, Chris Smalling, Eric Bailly and Matteo Darmian were included in the provisional squad.
Club captain Valencia came off with a muscle injury in last week's Champions League victory over Young Boys and did not travel to Southampton at the weekend. Smalling and Bailly did journey to the south coast but were omitted from the squad with a foot and back injury respectively. The trio could face late fitness tests.
Darmian also failed to make the Southampton trip and was unavailable for the Young Boys tie but is in contention to return to the matchday squad against the Gunners on Wednesday evening.
The quartet all checked in at the Hilton Garden Inn at Old Trafford cricket ground on Tuesday evening but there was no sign of Luke Shaw or Phil Jones. Although Shaw often rendezvouses with the squad separately, he hobbled off at Southampton and Jones is also believed to have sustained an injury. Ashley Young is suspended after accumulating five domestic yellow cards.
United have spent the night at the Hilton Garden Inn again to avoid another late arrival for an evening kick-off. United's Champions League home tie with Valencia was delayed by five minutes in September and Jose Mourinho walked the half-mile to the football ground amid congestion for the visit of Juventus in October. United and Arsenal's encounter is due to get underway at 8pm.
Should Arsenal beat United then Mourinho's side could fall to 10th in the Premier League table. United have taken two points from their last nine, drawing with strugglers Crystal Palace and Southampton, who dismissed former manager Mark Hughes on Monday. United's uninspiring form has already prompted Mourinho to readjust their December target.
Mourinho said in his programme notes ahead of the visit of Everton on October 28: "I believe at the end of December we will be in a completely different position in the table." The Portuguese also added on the eve of the Palace game on November 24 'I believe we are going to be there [top four]'.
However, the recent setbacks against Southampton and Palace, as well as the chastening defeat to Manchester City, have left United eight points adrift of fourth-placed Arsenal.
"I think far from a miracle, we just need to not to be so unlucky with the problems that we have, we need some players to perform better than they are, we need to perform better as a team than we are but far from a miracle. Not at all.
"I quoted one thing in an interview I gave to Brazilian television that you can go there and see what I told. And another thing is to be quoted who or how. I don't play that game.
"You saw me in the press conference, you saw me in the flash interviews, you know what I told. That's simple. You go to my words what I told to television, at the press conference, another thing is somebody said I told. I don't play that game."
The underperforming Paul Pogba checked in at the Hilton Garden Inn following another pitiful performance at St Mary's. Weekend reports claimed Mourinho dug out Pogba and likened him to a 'virus' as tension between manager and player threatens to mount again.
Pogba has started in all but one league game this term and the United manager was in no mood to confirm or clarify the rumours he had singled out Pogba.
"If you have attention a couple of minutes ago you would understand I don't play the game of the suggest," Mourinho said.
Mourinho believes Unai Emery's impressive start as Arsenal coach has been bolstered by their Europa League commitments. Arsenal have won four of their five of their group games to top Group E and their weekend comeback against Tottenham propelled Arsenal back into the top four.
United made hard work of their Europa League group stage qualification two seasons ago by losing two of their first four ties and requiring a positive result in their final group game at Zorya Luhansk. However, Mourinho claimed Arsenal have had it 'easy' in this season's competition.
"Yes, is different," Mourinho added of Arsenal. "It's not for me to do that analysis. I have my opinion but keep for myself.
"Different yes, I think different, and a very difficult match for us because we are going to play against a good team in a good moment, in a good run of results, without accumulation of matches because they are playing Europa League.
"And when you play Europa League you normally play with second choices and give good rest to the players compared with the teams with the Champions League, where we have to play with the maximum of our potential and then is accumulation of matches.
"And then you arrive in this moment in December and and many teams pay the price of that. When you play in Europa League - I did that, I know clearly - that is not a motivation you want as a team, as a club.
"But then to develop the team and have people fresher is a good way to do it. Plus the confidence of the good results, and when you play in the Europa League you have good results and win easily.
"So very difficult match for us and a very difficult match for them, in spite of our problems with choices, with the selection of the team. I am pretty sure they know it's not going to be easy."
Confirmed United squad members
David de Gea, Sergio Romero, Lee Grant, Diogo Dalot, Antonio Valencia, Matteo Darmian, Chris Smalling, Eric Bailly, Marcos Rojo, Fred, Paul Pogba, Marouane Fellaini, Scott McTominay, Jesse Lingard, Ander Herrera, Nemanja Matic, Andreas Pereira, Juan Mata, Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford, Romelu Lukaku
Confirmed absentees
Victor Lindelof (thigh), Alexis Sanchez (hamstring), Ashley Young (suspended)
Comments
Post a Comment