Team News Update For United v Swansea

Jose Mourinho has provided a detailed update on the fitness and availability of a number of key players as the Manchester United boss juggles injury and suspension issues.

The Reds manager spoke to the press after Thursday's goalless draw at Manchester City and confirmed that Tim Fosu-Mensah has joined the injury list, while Marouane Fellaini will now miss the next three games following his derby dismissal.

There was some better news for the Reds when Mourinho confirmed that Juan Mata is edging closer to a return and Paul Pogba is likely to be back for the trip to Celta Vigo next Thursday.

Mourinho also discussed the possibility of Wayne Rooney playing in midfield against Swansea at Old Trafford, saying: "It's an option. We have Herrera and Carrick and nothing else. Tim is another one that we miss so we are in trouble but we will fight that’s for sure.

"I think the first one to be back is Mata, which gives us another option in attack but, in reality, what we need now is one of the two central defenders to be back."

The boss was asked about the possibility of resting the in-form Eric Bailly for Sunday's match and giving a run-out to promising young defender Axel Tuanzebe. Such is United's lack of central defenders at present, the manager joked he might even play himself!

"I am also training hard in the gym so I can be an option also – Mourinho and Tuanzebe against Swansea! 

"In this moment, Eric is the only option we have – it’s Axel, Eric and Daley [Blind]. I think Eric and Daley played again absolutely amazing [against City]. I have to speak with them and see how they are and see how they feel."

United's lack of options through injury and suspension in midfield led to reporters questioning Mourinho about whether or not it was a mistake to let Morgan Schneiderlin and Bastian Schweinsteiger leave.

"To have lots of players without playing is something the players don’t want," said the manager. "We didn’t tell Morgan we wanted to sell him. Morgan asked, 'Please sell me, I want to go. I want to play every game.'

"Sometimes there is always this dilemma, to keep a bigger squad but the players don’t want to stay. Even young players, when they’re not playing, they ask to leave so it is very hard. 

"We’re arriving at an extreme situation where I think it must be unique in football with two cruciate ligament injuries in the same match. In my career, I had one player in 17 years [injuring his cruciate]. Now, against Anderlecht, I have two in one match and we are very unlucky, it’s the only thing we can say.

"The other small injuries – Pogba and [Antonio] Valencia in the last week - are injuries due to fatigue and the accumulation of matches, which is normal."