Man Utd Team News Update: Mourinho Has At Least 6 Fitness Doubts For Fulham Clash

Manchester United will be hoping to build on their draw with Arsenal when they welcome Fulham to Old Trafford on Saturday 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 including the latest on Eric Bailly, Chris Smalling, Phil Jones and Anthony Martial.

Bailly has been struggling for full fitness in recent weeks having not featured in the Premier League since early October but returned to the starting eleven and put in an excellent performance during the 2-2 draw with Arsenal in midweek.

Chris Smalling also played through the pain barrier on Wednesday night after rushing back from a foot injury that he sustained last weekend and Mourinho says the centre-backs will need to be assessed ahead of Saturday’s clash with Fulham.

In a further defensive concern for United, Phil Jones wasn’t involved against the Gunners due to a knock that he suffered against Southampton last weekend and he remains a doubt to face the Cottagers at Old Trafford tomorrow afternoon.

Martial did start against Arsenal and got himself on the score-sheet to make it 1-1 but the Frenchman limped off in the second half with what looked to be a hamstring issue. Mourinho initially said after the game the injury was nothing serious but the United boss now admits Martial will need to be assessed ahead of the Fulham game.

With Victor Lindelof and Alexis Sanchez out for several weeks with hamstring injuries, it means Mourinho has plenty of fitness problems to worry about as he prepares for Saturday’s match.

The United boss is quoted as saying by the Manchester Evening News:

“I don’t know. Training session, 11 o’clock will give us some answers. Smalling, Jones, Martial, Bailly, of course Lindelof and Alexis we don’t even speak about them, but we need answers.

“And for sure we are going to play with players not with the maximum of their [fitness] potential, but players who will put themselves available for the team like Smalling did last match, Jones at Southampton, players in difficulty who go one step forward to try and help the team.”

“Still waiting for conclusions, still waiting for people like Martial, Smalling, Jones – people with these kind of doubts.”

So United have at least six fitness doubts to face Fulham but Mourinho didn’t give any update on Luke Shaw or Antonio Valencia after they also missed the draw with Arsenal in midweek so the Red Devils may actually have up to eight players on the treatment table.

However, there is some positive team news as Ashley Young is back in contention after serving a one-match suspension so the 33-year-old will be another option in the full-back or wing-back roles, depending on how Mourinho lines-up tomorrow.