Man Utd Attacker Set To Miss Sunderland After Mourinho Confirms Fresh Injury Blow

Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney is expected to miss this weekend’s trip to Sunderland after Jose Mourinho confirmed the attacker has picked up an ankle injury, according to the Mirror.

Rooney has endured a difficult campaign having lost his first team place at Old Trafford with the 31-year-old starting just nine Premier League games so far this season.

The England international was expected to be in the squad to face Everton on Tuesday night after recovering from a recent knee injury, however, Rooney wasn’t named in the 18 that faced the Toffees at Old Trafford.

Speaking to the media after another frustrating home draw, Mourinho revealed that Rooney was forced to miss out against his boyhood club after sustaining ankle injuries in training.

And with just four days before United head to the Stadium of Light to face Sunderland on Sunday, Mourinho says the clubs all-time leading goal-scorer is unlikely to make the trip to Tyneside.

When asked for an update on Rooney, Mourinho is quoted by the Mirror as saying:

“Two ankles, so I don’t know, but I don’t think it is so easy to recover in a couple of days.”

The news will come as another blow to United as they recently lost Juan Mata for several weeks after the Spanish international was forced to undergo surgery on a groin injury.

With Chris Smalling and Phil Jones also out for the foreseeable future the injuries are starting to pile up at just the wrong time for Mourinho as the club gear-up for a busy end to the season.

The good news for United is that Paul Pogba made a successful return off the bench last night after recovering from a hamstring injury while Ander Herrera and Zlatan Ibrahimovic returned from suspension.

However, they couldn’t prevent United from being held to a 1-1 draw by Everton last night which leaves them sitting fifth in the table and four points adrift of Man City.