Team news: Man Utd boss confirms double fitness boost but duo miss Roma clash

Manchester United welcome AS Roma to Old Trafford on Thursday night to contest the first leg of their Europa League semi-final.

Ahead of the game, boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been speaking to the media at his press conference today and he’s provided a team news and injury update including the latest on the fitness of Marcus Rashford and Eric Bailly.

Solskjaer has been carefully managing Rashford’s fitness in recent weeks as the 23-year-old has been nursing a niggling foot injury which has restricted him from completing a full game since the 14th March.

However, Rashford has been slowly building up his workload and was able to come through 86 minutes during Man Utd’s draw with Leeds United at Elland Road on Sunday afternoon. Solskjaer has confirmed the England forward is now edging closer to full match fitness and is available for selection to face Roma.

Bailly hasn’t featured for Manchester United since the draw with Crystal Palace at the start of March and he’s been working his way back to fitness after testing positive for Covid-19. However, Solskjaer says the centre-back is fit and in contention against Roma tomorrow.

The United boss told ManUtd.com:

“There are so many games! They’re all fit and available, we didn’t lose anyone from the last game, which was good. It was a hard-fought game of course against Leeds, high intensity. We’re ready and we’ve had good preparation for the rest of the season.

“Both [Rashford & Bailly] of them are available. That’s good.“

“We have managed Marcus and we have had to do it for quite a while. I feel he’s gone through the worst now. He’s available for selection tomorrow, he’s happy with the progress.”

So the Man Utd squad is in good health ahead of the game but they will be without Anthony Martial when Roma arrive tomorrow as the Frenchman is still out with a knee injury. Phil Jones is the only other absentee for United as he’s also nursing a long-term knee problem.

Solskjaer is expected to make some changes to his starting eleven with David De Gea coming in for Dean Henderson in goal while Paul Pogba and Edinson Cavani are also pushing for recalls.