Man Utd Match Centre
Man Utd Team News: Mourinho Confirms 27-Year-Old Will Start As Duo Ruled Out
Jose Mourinho has confirmed Chris Smalling will start for Manchester United against Basel with Phil Jones and Eric Bailly ruled out.
Manchester United will be looking to maintain their 100% record in the Champions League when they take on Basel on Wednesday night.
Ahead of the game, Jose Mourinho has been speaking to the media at his pre-match press conference and he’s offered reporters a team news and injury update.
The United boss has confirmed that Chris Smalling will start the game in defence with Phil Jones and Eric Bailly once again ruled out through injury.
Jones missed the 4-1 win over Newcastle United at the weekend due to a thigh injury that he aggravated while away with the England squad during the international break earlier this month.
It looks like the injury is going to keep Jones out for a little while longer as Mourinho says he’ll miss the Basel game tomorrow night as well as this weekend’s Premier League clash with Brighton at Old Trafford.
Bailly is also still out after missing the Newcastle game on Saturday due to a knock so it means Smalling is set to keep his place in the middle of defence with the 27-year-old expected to be joined by Victor Lindelof.
Mourinho also confirmed that Zlatan Ibrahimovic will once again be on the bench tomorrow after making his injury comeback with a substitute appearance at the weekend.
Jose: "Smalling is playing all the time, and well. Tomorrow he plays again, but we don't have Jones and we don't have Bailly again." #MUFC
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) November 21, 2017
Mourinho says Phil Jones will miss #MUFC's trip to Basel as well as Saturday's match against Brighton
— Simon Peach (@SimonPeach) November 21, 2017
"Zlatan goes on the bench tomorrow," says the boss. "But if we need him, his presence on the pitch will be positive and he can play with Lukaku." #MUFC
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) November 21, 2017
United head in to tomorrow’s game sitting six points clear at the top of Group A so they’ve already secured safe passage to the knockout stages but Mourinho will want to maintain their 100% record with another win in Switzerland.
