Key Man Left Out As Man Utd Announce 18-Man Squad For Midtjylland Clash

Wayne Rooney has been left back in Manchester after Louis van Gaal named his 18-man squad ahead of United’s Europa League match against FC Midtjylland in Denmark on Thursday night.

No official reason has been given for Rooney’s absence as yet but there have been no reports of injury so you’d expect van Gaal is just resting his skipper. We should get confirmation when the Reds boss holds his press conference later today.

Matteo Darmian is also out after suffering a dislocated shoulder during United’s 2-1 loss at Sunderland on Saturday while Cameron Borthwick-Jackson is given a breather after featuring heavily in recent weeks.

Chris Smalling and Daley Blind make the trip but Phil Jones is ruled out once again with a foot injury so he joins Marouane Fellaini, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Ashley Young, Marcos Rojo, Antonio Valencia and Luke Shaw on the sidelines.

With so many first team regulars missing, the door is open for some of United’s youngsters to get a taste of first team action with the likes of Donald Love, Will Keane, Regan Poole, Joe Riley and James Weir all pushing for game time on Thursday after being included in the travelling party.

Here is the 18-man squad as announced on ManUtd.com:

De Gea, Romero, Love, McNair, Smalling, Blind, Poole, Riley, Carrick, Herrera, Schneiderlin, Lingard, Pereira, Weir, Mata, Memphis, Martial, Keane.