Man Utd Match Centre
Mourinho’s Team News Update: Pogba Latest, Player Out For ‘Months’ + Defender Boost
Jose Mourinho has confirmed a Man Utd player is still months away from returning to action but a defender is available again plus the latest on Pogba.
Manchester United will be looking to maintain their position at the top of the table when they take on Everton at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon.
Ahead of the game, Jose Mourinho has been speaking to the media at his pre-match press conference this afternoon and he’s provided a team news and injury update.
The United boss has confirmed a huge blow with the news that Paul Pogba has been ruled out for ‘a few matches’ after suffering a hamstring injury against Basel on Tuesday night.
Pogba was forced off inside the opening 20 minutes during the 3-0 Champions League victory and was seen leaving Old Trafford on crutches after the game.
Reports yesterday claimed the French international had been ruled out for up to six weeks after undergoing scans but Mourinho has refused to speculate over how long Pogba will be out for.
The Portuguese coach has conceded that his star midfielder will be missing for several games but he’s confident he has the required back-up to cope in Pogba’s absence.
Mourinho also provided an update on the fitness of Luke Shaw and confirmed that the left-back is now considered fit and available for selection after recovering from a foot injury.
The United boss then offered the latest on Marcos Rojo and revealed that the defender is still only doing partial light training and is still ‘a couple of months’ away from returning to action following a knee ligament injury.
Mourinho told ManUtd.com:
“He [Pogba] is injured and he cannot play on Sunday. We know that, for a few matches, I don’t know how many, but I expect we are to play without Pogba for a few matches.”
“That is an opportunity for others and the others are ready to get that opportunity, and to perform. Of course we feel sorry that we lose a player but we are calm and confident, because it is an opportunity for people who are ready to take it.”
“He [Shaw] is not injured anymore so it is a question of form and it is a question of options. But he is not injured, he is recovered.”
“He [Rojo] is still in the timings of such an important injury. Everything went really well, but he’s not even training with the group in normal sessions, he’s just doing parts of it. So Marcos still has in front of him, probably, a couple of months.”
United welcome the Toffees to Old Trafford having won four of their five matches so far this season so Mourinho will be hoping to maintain that excellent form with another win on Sunday.
