Man Utd Team News: Mourinho Confirms Fitness Boost + Offers Bailly Update

Manchester United will be looking to finish the job and book their place at Wembley when they take on Hull City in the second leg of their EFL Cup semi final on Thursday night.

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

The Reds boss was pleased to confirm that his squad have suffered no fresh injury concerns following Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Stoke City so practically the whole squad is fit and available for selection.

According to the clubs website, Mourinho told reporters that “Marcos Rojo is back” after the Argentinean international missed the draw at the Britannia Stadium at the weekend due to illness.

The news will come as a welcome boost as Rojo has been in excellent form in recent months with the south American forming a solid partnership alongside Phil Jones in the middle of defence, but we’ll have to wait and see whether he comes straight back in to replace Chris Smalling on Thursday.

While United don’t have any injuries to worry about they will still be without Eric Bailly against Hull this week. The 22-year-old has been away with Ivory Coast squad at the African Cup of Nations but is now on the way back to Manchester following their elimination from the tournament on Tuesday.

Thursday’s EFL Cup clash at the KCOM Stadium will come too soon for the centre-back but it remains to be seen whether he’ll be considered for Sunday’s FA Cup fourth round tie with Wigan Athletic.

Mourinho is quoted as saying by ManUtd.com:

“Everybody is available. Bailly didn’t arrive yet but his national team had a defeat yesterday and are knocked out of the competition, so he is coming back. In this moment everybody is available and my choices will be to try to go with a team that I think can guarantee us a good match.”

So the United squad is in excellent shape as they head in to the second leg of their EFL Cup semi final holding a 2-0 lead from the first leg at Old Trafford two weeks ago.

Mourinho may decide to mix things up and make some changes from the side that drew at Stoke with the likes of Michael Carrick, Luke Shaw, Matteo Darmian, Marcus Rashford and Wayne Rooney all pushing for recalls to the starting eleven.