Man Utd Team News: Mourinho Rules Out Duo But Attacker Fit + Rooney & Ibra Updates

Manchester United will be looking to kick start their Europa League campaign when they entertain Zorya Luhansk at Old Trafford on Thursday evening.

Ahead of the game, Jose Mourinho has been speaking to the media at his pre-match press conference this afternoon and he’s offered ManUtd.com a team news and injury update.

The United boss has confirmed that playmaker Henrikh Mkhitaryan will once again miss out despite returning to full training having recovered from a niggling thigh injury that he aggravated against Manchester City earlier this month.

Mkhitaryan was back out on the training pitch at Carrington today having sat out the last four games but the Armenian international is still lacking match fitness so will miss the Zorya match tomorrow night.

Luke Shaw is also absent with Mourinho revealing that the left-back was sent home from training today due to illness after missing the win over Leicester at the weekend with an apparent groin problem.

There was some slightly better news regarding the fitness of Anthony Martial as the French international has been passed fit to play after recovering from a minor calf/ankle injury that he suffered against Watford.

Wayne Rooney will be assessed to see whether he’s fit to start after being left on the bench for the Foxes game on Saturday with a back problem but Mourinho has hinted the skipper won’t be risked and the United boss also confirmed that Zlatan Ibrahimovic will start the match tomorrow after being rested for the Feyenoord game.

Mourinho is quoted as saying by ManUtd.com:

“He’s [Shaw] ill. He has a temperature, a fever, a bad throat and 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.”

“He [Martial] has now recovered from the contusion, not the concussion, the contusion in his calf and in his ankle. He has recovered and is ready for tomorrow.”

“Wayne Rooney is selected. I haven’t decide 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.”

Mourinho also reveals Henrikh Mkhitaryan won’t play against Zorya Luhansk. #MUFC

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) September 28, 2016

Jose on @AnthonyMartial: “He has recovered and is ready for tomorrow.”

On @Ibra_official: “He starts.” #MUFC pic.twitter.com/Ozy5JJ717S

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) September 28, 2016

So it looks as though Mourinho won’t risk Rooney from the start meaning Juan Mata could continue to play in the attacking midfield role behind Ibrahimovic after impressing against Leicester at the weekend.

Phil Jones is the only other absentee as the centre-back continues to recover from a knee ligament injury so he misses out along with Shaw and Mkhitaryan, but Mourinho is expected to field a stronger side than the one that slumped to a 1-0 defeat at Feyenoord.

United are understandably the heavy favourites to win the game and I can’t see past anything other than a home victory. Bettors will be keen to back Mourinho’s men tomorrow night with many jumping on mobile casino’s and betting sites to put their money on the Red Devils. If you fancy a flutter, then click here to play and get involved, there are some great welcome bonuses to be had. My recommended bet would be 3-0 United with Ibrahimovic to score first.