How the international break can help United
Jose Mourinho believes the international break will be a key period for a number of his injured Manchester United players to work towards regaining full fitness.
The Reds are currently without key players Marcos Rojo, Michael Carrick, Paul Pogba and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who have all been unavailable for a number of weeks and months.
Marouane Fellaini thankfully returned as a substitute during Sunday’s Premier League match at Chelsea and earned praise from Mourinho afterwards, having made himself available for selection after only returning to training with the rest of the squad on Saturday.
The manager now hopes his other injured players can make good progress over the two-week break for internationals, before our next match against Newcastle United at Old Trafford on 18 November.
“We have the group of players which are the ones that we hope will recover as soon as possible,” Mourinho told MUTV in west London on Sunday. “They have to work every day but they are in a good position now. Pogba, Ibra, Rojo, Fellaini. They are in good positions so I think we can go into this part of the season, the Christmas period and afterwards, in a strong position.”
Marouane Fellaini thankfully returned as a substitute during Sunday’s Premier League match at Chelsea and earned praise from Mourinho afterwards, having made himself available for selection after only returning to training with the rest of the squad on Saturday.
The manager now hopes his other injured players can make good progress over the two-week break for internationals, before our next match against Newcastle United at Old Trafford on 18 November.
“We have the group of players which are the ones that we hope will recover as soon as possible,” Mourinho told MUTV in west London on Sunday. “They have to work every day but they are in a good position now. Pogba, Ibra, Rojo, Fellaini. They are in good positions so I think we can go into this part of the season, the Christmas period and afterwards, in a strong position.”
A number of United players have now flown off to play for their countries throughout the final international break until March. The pick of the games involves two Reds on opposite sides, with Matteo Darmian’s Italy set to face Victor Lindelof’s Sweden for a place at the 2018 World Cup.
Mourinho plans to give his non-international players a rest. “The international break means the majority of the players fly now from London to their countries. They all disappear and then we have a couple who aren’t selected for their national team, like Chris Smalling and Ander Herrera. They really deserve, after so many matches, to have a week off, which I’m going to give them.”
Mourinho plans to give his non-international players a rest. “The international break means the majority of the players fly now from London to their countries. They all disappear and then we have a couple who aren’t selected for their national team, like Chris Smalling and Ander Herrera. They really deserve, after so many matches, to have a week off, which I’m going to give them.”
INTERNATIONAL REDS
Thursday 9 November:
Armenia v Belarus 14:00 GMT (Mkhitaryan)
Scotland v Netherlands 19:45 GMT (Blind)
Friday 10 November:
Sweden v Italy 19:45 GMT (Lindelof, Darmian)
China v Serbia 11:00 GMT (Matic)
Belgium v Mexico 19:45 GMT (Lukaku)
England v Germany 20:00 GMT (Rashford, Jones, Lingard, Young)
France v Wales 20:00 (Martial)
Saturday 11 November
Russia v Argentina 13:00 GMT (Romero)
Spain v Costa Rica 20:30 GMT (De Gea)
Monday 13 November:
Italy v Sweden 19:45 GMT (Darmian, Lindelof)
Armenia v Cyprus 14:00 GMT (Mkhitaryan)
Tuesday 14 November
South Korea v Serbia 11:00 GMT (Matic)
Russia v Spain 18:45 GMT (De Gea)
Romania v Netherlands 19:00 GMT (Blind)
Belgium v Japan 19:45 GMT (Lukaku)
Germany v France 19:45 GMT (Martial)
Argentina v Nigeria 20:00 GMT (Romero)
England v Brazil 20:00 GMT (Rashford, Jones, Lingard, Young)
Thursday 9 November:
Armenia v Belarus 14:00 GMT (Mkhitaryan)
Scotland v Netherlands 19:45 GMT (Blind)
Friday 10 November:
Sweden v Italy 19:45 GMT (Lindelof, Darmian)
China v Serbia 11:00 GMT (Matic)
Belgium v Mexico 19:45 GMT (Lukaku)
England v Germany 20:00 GMT (Rashford, Jones, Lingard, Young)
France v Wales 20:00 (Martial)
Saturday 11 November
Russia v Argentina 13:00 GMT (Romero)
Spain v Costa Rica 20:30 GMT (De Gea)
Monday 13 November:
Italy v Sweden 19:45 GMT (Darmian, Lindelof)
Armenia v Cyprus 14:00 GMT (Mkhitaryan)
Tuesday 14 November
South Korea v Serbia 11:00 GMT (Matic)
Russia v Spain 18:45 GMT (De Gea)
Romania v Netherlands 19:00 GMT (Blind)
Belgium v Japan 19:45 GMT (Lukaku)
Germany v France 19:45 GMT (Martial)
Argentina v Nigeria 20:00 GMT (Romero)
England v Brazil 20:00 GMT (Rashford, Jones, Lingard, Young)
Back to Top