Eric Bailly could return to Jose Mourinho’s matchday squad when Manchester United host Tottenham at Old Trafford on Saturday.
Manchester United host Tottenham Hotspur in the weekend’s marquee clash at Old Trafford on Saturday, when the winner would go clear into second place in the Premier League table. Ahead of the high-stakes encounter, Jose Mourinho has been greeted with a tinge of good news.
While the Manchester United boss does not have any fresh injury concerns to contend with, two key players are fit and available for the clash. Mourinho’s first-choice central defensive partnership in the Premier League could be set to line up together for the first time in nearly a month ahead of Tottenham’s visit.
Phil Jones has shrugged off a minor knock on his groin and is set to start on Saturday, having been part of the matchday squad in the midweek Carabao Cup tie. Eric Bailly (groin) is in contention to make the starting lineup as well, after returning to training earlier this week.
Jose Mourinho to #MUTV ahead of facing Tottenham: “I think we are fine, I think we are strong and I think we are ready.” #MUFC pic.twitter.com/7resnINqoT
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) October 27, 2017
Providing the injury update in his pre-match press conference, Mourinho said that the Ivory Coast international was the only player returning this week, while refusing to speak about the situations of the rest of the players who are sidelined, including a certain Harry Kane.
“Nobody is back. Jones is good, he was on the bench on Tuesday, [there was] no need [for him] to play, but he was ready – so he is really ready. Eric – let’s see, [he’ll have] one more training session, but he is the only one that I hope from the injured group that can be ready for tomorrow.
“I don’t speak about injured players, so don’t ask me about Harry Kane because if I speak about him I have to speak about Zlatan Ibrahimovic, [Marouane] Fellaini, [Paul] Pogba, [Marcos] Rojo, [Michael] Carrick – so I don’t speak.”
Therefore, the likes of Marcos Rojo (knee), Michael Carrick (calf), Paul Pogba (hamstring), Marouane Fellaini (knee) and Zlatan Ibrahimovic (knee) remain unavailable due to their respective injuries. But, Ander Herrera and Marcus Rashford are fit and available after recovering from their respective knocks.
Meanwhile, the big news from the Tottenham camp is that Harry Kane has failed to knock off a minor hamstring injury, sustained against Liverpool last week, and will not be a part of the travelling squad. Victor Wanyama (knee) and Erik Lamela (hip) are the only other absentees for Mauricio Pochettino.