Luke Shaw is the only unavailable player for Jose Mourinho as Manchester United prepare to welcome Crystal Palace to Old Trafford on Saturday.
Jose Mourinho will be eager to prove that the result against Manchester City before the international break was only a blip, when Manchester United play hosts to a struggling Crystal Palace side at Old Trafford on Saturday evening.
Heading into the international break, Manchester United’s treatment room seemed to be filling up, with a number of players dealing with minor injuries. But, with the game against Crystal Palace looming, Jose Mourinho has boasted that he has a clean bill of health, perhaps for the first time this season.
.@Fellaini has spent the international break working hard to get back to full fitness! #MUFC
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) November 22, 2018
The only player who will be unavailable to face the Eagles on Saturday will be Luke Shaw, who is suspended after accumulating five bookings. Meanwhile, the likes of Marouane Fellaini, Paul Pogba, Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford and Romelu Lukaku have all shrugged their niggles, and are fit to take on Crystal Palace.
Mourinho confirmed the barrage good news during his pre-match press conference, while also throwing light on a few players who are set to feature for Manchester United on Saturday.
“It’s been two weeks waiting for news, good or bad, from the boys playing for their national teams. Martial stayed with us, he didn’t go with the [France] national team. He worked really hard. He was in a pre-injury situation, but worked really hard and he’s going to play tomorrow. Fellaini is going to play.”
“Rashford came back [from England duty] with a little problem but he is ready. Lukaku is ready, with a little bit of a risk, but ready and Paul [Pogba], we knew in this break he would recover so I don’t think we have players who I can say are out of the game tomorrow. We have a huge group to choose from tomorrow.”
The major bone of contention surrounds the player who will replace the suspended Shaw. Ashley Young seems to be the realistic option, but the Englishman has been playing as a right-back lately. Mourinho though, has hinted that Manchester United Antonio Valencia could be involved against Crystal Palace.
As a result, the veteran duo should man the full-back slots, with Chris Smalling and Victor Lindelof lining up at the heart of the Manchester United defence that will provide cover to David de Gea. In midfield, Fellaini has been confirmed as a starter, while Pogba and Nemanja Matic are automatic selections.
Upfront, Martial is a certain starter as well, owing to his form. The other two slots present a healthy toss-up. Jesse Lingard and Alexis Sanchez showed promising signs during the international break, while the in-form Juan Mata is on the cusp of a 200th Manchester United appearance.
Against Crystal Palace, Sanchez could get the nod to start on the right flank, where he has made somewhat of an impression lately. Finally, with Lukaku fit, Rashford might have to suffice with a spot on the bench, with the Belgian likely to start as the focal point of the Manchester United attack.
