Team News Ahead Of CSKA Moscow Clash

Michael Carrick, Marouane Fellaini and Phil Jones will all miss Wednesday's Champions League clash with CSKA Moscow as the trio join midfielder Paul Pogba on the sidelines.

Jose Mourinho confirmed Carrick and Fellaini will not be available for the Group A game at his pre-match press conference on Tuesday, and he also told MUTV that Jones will also be missing. Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Marcos Rojo also remain sidelined as they continue their recoveries from long-term injuries.

"I won't have Fellaini, I won't have Pogba, we won't have Carrick, so all three midfield players that we lose for this match," the boss told reporters. "So there are not many solutions, but we try not to focus on individual battles or in specific areas on the pitch. We try to focus on the globality [team as a whole] and we are going to have a team with quality, with balance, to try to win the match which is our objective."

Fellaini is also set to miss the weekend meeting with Crystal Palace in the Premier League after being hurt in a challenge from behind by Shane Long at Southampton.

"It was only when I saw it on TV that I realised that Fellaini was very lucky [not to have a serious injury]," added the boss. "I do not expect him to be out for long."

Mourinho reflected on his past meetings with CSKA Moscow and believes Wednesday's match will be the strongest CSKA side he has faced in his career.

"I play against CSKA with Real Madrid, with Inter, with Chelsea and now with Manchester United, so it's something normal in my Champions League career," he explained. "To be honest, I always like to be back because it [Moscow] is a beautiful city. Every time I come it's better and better and better so I have to say that it's a pleasure.

"Opponents wise, I think it's the best CSKA that I'm going to play against. I think it's the best team that I face with CSKA as an opponent."