Injury Update For United Vs Middlesbrough

Jose Mourinho has confirmed Wayne Rooney will not return for Manchester United’s final game of 2016, at home to Middlesbrough on New Year’s Eve.

The club captain missed the Boxing Day win over Sunderland after feeling a thigh injury in training on Christmas Day, and Saturday’s Premier League clash against the Teessiders comes too soon for him.

Asked by reporters at his pre-match press conference on Friday if there was a definitive time when the forward would return, Mourinho replied: "No, but he's not ready [for the Middlesbrough match]."

As for Luke Shaw, the manager told MUTV separately, in an exclusive interview: "Luke is training now with the team without any problem, but I don't think he is ready to start the game [either]."

The boss otherwise has a near fully-fit squad to choose from, as the Reds target a sixth straight win in all competitions. Eric Bailly was not involved against the Black Cats but had been deemed available for selection.

Talking further about his team-picking process during a busy run of fixtures for his side, Mourinho said: "Middlesbrough is the next game and the next game you play to win. So we are going to think about Middlesbrough and try to choose the team that gives us guarantees and chances to win the match.

"That includes everyone that is available and everyone we think is important for the match.

"This is the match – it's not West Ham, it's not Reading, it's not Liverpool – so if this is the match, we are going to play with the players that I think are the best to play."