Nemanja Matic in training before he sustained an injury.

Trio unavailable as Matic picks up injury

Thursday 26 July 2018 10:35

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho admits he is without the services of Nemanja Matic, Anthony Martial and Antonio Valencia.

Speaking to MUTV after the penalty shoot-out win over AC Milan in the ICC, the boss said it was bad enough losing Valencia already to what appeared to be a calf problem, early on in the draw with San Jose Earthquakes, but he is now also unable to call upon influential midfielder Matic.

The Serbian only linked up with the squad late due to his World Cup commitments with his country but has sustained an injury and must be, at the very least, a doubt for the weekend encounter with Liverpool.

 

Antonio Valencia has left the tour squad in order to recover from injury.

Valencia has flown home and will take no further part in Tour 2018, presented by Aon, with the likelihood now that he will miss the start of the Premier League season.

Presumably, the captain will undergo treatment in a bid to recover full fitness as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, French forward Martial has travelled to his homeland as his partner is due to give birth to their child. "I found out that he was going to Paris when he told me," said Jose at his press conference. "It was three days ago.

"You know, when it is personal reasons, everyone analyses that the way they think is the correct way and, when a man is going to be a father, in this case it’s the second time that he is going to be a father, and he decides that it is very important for him to go, I think nobody has the right to stop him to go."

Anthony Martial is set to become a father again.

The Reds' next outing is against arch-rivals Liverpool at the Michigan Stadium on Saturday, kick-off 22:05 BST. The tour is then wrapped up with a glamour clash against European champions Real Madrid in Miami Gardens in the early hours of Wednesday morning (UK time). Both matches are being shown live on MUTV.

There is also a friendly against Bayern Munich on Sunday 5 August before the big kick-off against Leicester City at Old Trafford on the following Friday.

Video
Watch Jose Mourinho's post-Milan press conference.