Manchester United on Tuesday secured top spot in their UEFA Champions League group and Red Devils manager had a mix of good and bad news both when discussing his side’s injury list ahead of Sunday’s massive Premier League clash with derby rivals Manchester City.
Nemanja Matic was not a part of the matchday squad on Tuesday night and Mourinho admitted the Serbian was still injured but will play against the Premier League leaders on Sunday ‘for sure’.
The Serbian enforcer, who joined United in the summer in a £40 million deal, came off at half-time in United’s 4-2 victory over Watford last week but recovered to play the full 90 minutes of the Red Devils’ dramatic 3-1 win on the weekend.
Mourinho had revealed that the player insisted on playing against the Gunners despite not being 100 per cent fit and the Portuguese ceded to his request to as he said he trusted a ‘senior professional’ such as him.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been missing from United’s last two matchday squads after reportedly suffering a mild setback in his recovery from a long-term ACL injury but Mourinho revealed the Swede is in contention to feature against the Citizens.
Defender Phil Jones and central midfielder Marouane Fellaini, have a fighting chance of making the squad against the Premier League leaders but Eric Bailly, who is United’s best central defender, has been ruled out.
United captain, Michael Carrick, who is convalescing from a heart surgery, continued to be sidelined as well.
Star midfielder Paul Pogba, who was sent off in United’s win at Arsenal, has been handed a three-match ban and will miss out on the clash at Old Trafford after the Red Devils decided against appealing the decision.