We’re still ten days away from Manchester United returning to action, when they’ll travel to Chelsea for a Premier League fixture. In terms of looking at really early team news/the fitness situation for this game, you already know that leading scorer Marcus Rashford will be unavailable. He’s out until March at least, potentially until April due to a double stress fracture in his back.
As for two other main players, the side’s most important/best midfielders, Paul Pogba and Scott McTominay, it remains to be seen whether or not they’ll available. With new January arrival Bruno Fernandes now in the mix, you could really see a power pairing, or stellar midfield three, once McTominay and Pogba are back at 100%.
United Transfer Talk Part 1: Martinez, Koulibaly, King
United Transfer Talk Part 2: Smalling, Gelhardt, Andersson
We’ll start with Pogba, who recently had his cast removed, following surgery to repair his chronic foot injury.
United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said, at the end of last month: “Paul’s had a terrible season with injuries and he’s desperate to play football.”
“If there’s one thing that I know about Paul, he loves playing football and he loves just being out there training as well, and it’s been playing on his mind.”
“Any player who is injured cannot wait to get back on the pitch, you feel so free. He’s been playing with pain, so I’m sure when he’s pain-free and he’s injury-free, he’ll enjoy his football.”
Pogba has only made seven total appearances in the Premier League competition this season, and once again, transfer rumors are swirling.
According to the Daily Express though, Pogba is inching closer to a return and could be back in action for the next match. The Frenchman will miss the team’s warm weather training trip to Malaga, Spain though. As for McTominay, he will join up with the side, and make the trip.
Solskjaer told MUTV: “Scotty has done better in his recovery than we thought, so we will take him with us. Hopefully he can join in the training sessions and Axel [Tuanzebe] as well, he’ll join in, so that’s two positives and it’s a good chance for them to use this time with the players.”
The Scottish international said in an interview with Sky Sports:
“I am feeling good, hopefully do my best to be back on the pitch as soon as I possibly can.”
McTominay has been on the sidelines since Boxing Day, due to a knee injury.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” regularly appears on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
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