Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has revealed that Chris Smalling and Luke Shaw will not return to the squad for his side’s clash against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
With Eric Bailly returning to the team on Thursday night after recovering from a knee injury, some of the pressure on Manchester United's defensive resources has eased up.
However, England defenders Smalling and Shaw are still nursing injuries and Mourinho has conceded that the duo won’t be fit to make the squad for their clash against Spurs at Old Trafford.
When asked whether Smalling and Shaw will be available for Sunday, he was quoted as saying by his club's official site: “Not Sunday, no.”
Smalling has been recovering from a foot injury since late-October and with Bailly scheduled to join the Ivory Coast squad for the African Cup of Nations next month, the Manchester United manager is desperately hoping that the England defender recovers before January.
relatedNewsStory
"Let's hope Smalling can recover in time to replace him in the squad because, with so many matches, we need players.
"At the moment, we have Phil Jones, Bailly and Marcos Rojo [as centre-backs].
“We play Tottenham, West Brom and Reading, West Ham away – in that period we have a lot of matches and it is important to have players."
Manchester United have drawn their last three home league games and have won just two of their last ten Premier League fixtures.
They are desperate to get back to winning ways at Old Trafford ahead of Tottenham’s visit on Sunday.
