United Team News For Reading FA Cup Clash

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has the luxury of almost a full complement of players to choose from for the FA Cup third-round tie with Reading, with only one absentee.

Defender Eric Bailly remains unavailable as he prepares for the Africa Cup of Nations with Ivory Coast but Mourinho has confirmed goalkeeper Sergio Romero and skipper Wayne Rooney will start in the lunchtime encounter at Old Trafford.

Rooney picked up a knock in training ahead of the Boxing Day success against Sunderland while Luke Shaw is also available again. The left-back has been sidelined since sustaining an injury in the EFL Cup quarter-final win over West Ham United, the last game in November. Meanwhile, Bastian Schweinsteiger has been guaranteed a place in the matchday squad.

The wealth of options means the boss has a selection dilemma for the visit of Jaap Stam's Royals, who are challenging for promotion from the Championship. The Reds also have an EFL Cup semi-final date with Hull City on Tuesday night before a key Premier League encounter against Liverpool on 15 January. Consequently, there will be changes to the line-up.

"There are zero injuries," the manager told MUTV. "Zero injuries! We have 27 players and zero injuries. 

"During the season, we have never had big, big problems with that. We had the normal amount of injuries that happen all the time but, in this moment, we have zero. We have every player available apart from Bailly, who is in the African cup.

"Yes, we have to rest players. Some players, they need a little rest. Many players, they need to play. Many players deserve to play. I trust them all. I know that, if I change three or four players in the team, some people will say there is a risk. Some people will say we do that because it is a Championship team but Reading is better than some Premier League teams. 

"The risk is only if we face the game with the wrong attitude, with the wrong frame of mind. If the players go into the game feeling the responsibility and the desire that they are showing match after match, then we have a good chance to win, even if we give some players a rest and some others a chance."