Man Utd team news: Solskjaer confirms fresh fitness blow ahead of Carabao Cup clash

Manchester United will be looking to avoid an upset when they take on Colchester United at Old Trafford in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night.

Ahead of the game, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been speaking to the media and he’s provided a team news and injury update including the latest on the fitness of Paul Pogba and Diogo Dalot.

Pogba has made just six appearances in all competitions this season as he’s struggled to overcome a niggling ankle injury and the Frenchman last featured for United during their 1-1 draw with Arsenal in late September.

The 26-year-old has been back in light training at Man Utd’s Carrington training base this month and there were hopes he was closing-in on making his long-awaited return to the first team.

However, Solskjaer has confirmed Pogba has been struck down by illness which has kept him out of training for the past 2-3 days and the Man Utd boss feels this will have set-back his recovery ‘quite a bit’.

Pogba was photographed at his brothers wedding on Friday but reported by to Carrington with an illness the following day and Solskjaer says he’s desperate to get the midfielder back to full fitness.

There is some positive news for United as Dalot could make his return to the first team tomorrow after recovering from a groin injury that’s kept him on the sidelines for over two months.

However, the defender is the only injured player on the verge of being available which means the likes of Eric Bailly, Marcos Rojo and Tim Fosu-Mensah are still working their way back to full fitness along with Pogba.

Speaking at his press conference, which was held on Sunday, Solskjaer is quoted as saying by ManUtd.com:

“Maybe Diogo after he’s had a week of training, but probably no one else,”

“Of all things he’s [Pogba] now struck down with illness and he’s been off for two or three days. That’s not beneficial and that’s probably set him back quite a bit.

“As I’ve said so many times, Paul is a top player that we want to see playing his best football at Man United.

“We just need to get him match fit. He might be half an hour, 45, 60, 90 minutes – who knows – in the first game. We’re working hard to get him back, but now he’s ill.”

United are expected to field a weakened side against Colchester in the quarter-finals of the League Cup tomorrow night as Solskjaer has hinted he’ll rest his big-guns ahead of Sunday’s Premier League trip to Watford.