Mourinho's Selection Dilemma Against Middlesbrough

Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho has a selection headache for Sunday's Premier League clash at Middlesbrough.

United will be without Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Ander Herrera through suspension for the trip to the Riverside and Paul Pogba, who is expected to be out for three weeks after sustaining a hamstring injury in the Europa League win over Rostov on Thursday. Daley Blind was also taken off with a head injury during that match so is facing a race against time to be fit for Sunday.

Captain Wayne Rooney and Anthony Martial have also been on the sidelines with injuries and there are question marks over whether either of them will be fit to take on Middlesbrough.

That list of absentees means Mourinho's only eligible striker for Sunday will be Marcus Rashford, just as he was the only available frontman for Monday's FA Cup quarter-final defeat to Chelsea.


Should Pogba fail to recover from what appeared to be a hamstring problem, Mourinho will have to rethink the balance of his midfield, although Michael Carrick could be one to replace the banned Herrera.

Marouane Fellaini, who replaced Pogba against Rostov, could be another alternative in the middle of the park.

If Blind's head injury keeps him out, there could be an opening for Luke Shaw at left-back - or left wing back, if Mourinho opts to persist with the three-at-the-back system he's used for the past three games.

Either way, the strength of United's squad is going to be put to the test...

Credit: Skysports.com