Paul Pogba’s absence has given Jose Mourinho another headache as Manchester United look to revive their Champions League qualification hopes at managerless Middlesbrough on Sunday.
Paul Pogba
United midfielder Pogba will miss the Premier League fixture, plus France’s forthcoming matches against Luxembourg and Spain, with a hamstring problem sustained during Thursday’s 1-0 Europa League victory over Rostov.
Mourinho is hopeful Pogba, who has had an inconsistent season following his world record move from Juventus, will be ready after the next international break.
But the United manager will have to rejig his midfield as he attempts to boost his team’s challenge for a place in next season’s Champions League.
In truth, their best hope of qualifying for that competition may be to win the Europa League, given that they go into the weekend in sixth in the table, six points behind fourth placed Liverpool.
United must face Middlesbrough not only without Pogba, but also minus top scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic and midfielder Ander Herrera, both suspended, and they may also be missing defender Daley Blind, who suffered a head injury against Rostov.
Thursday’s win set up a two-legged Europa League quarter-final tie against Anderlecht next month, but also added to the fixture congestion that has left Mourinho deeply unhappy.
The Portuguese coach was not pleased that their FA Cup quarter-final defeat at Chelsea, originally scheduled for last weekend, was moved to Monday so it could be televised.
He has also criticised the Premier League for ordering the match at Middlesbrough to kick-off at 1200 GMT, again to suit the demands of television, arguing that a later kick-off on Sunday would have given his players a crucial extra few hours to rest.
“We have lots of enemies. It’s difficult to play Monday with 10 men, it’s difficult to play on Thursday, it’s difficult to play 12 o’clock on Sunday,” he said.
“I don’t think it’s a funny situation. When I watch marathons and people go to their limit, I don’t think it is funny, and I don’t think it’s funny some of my players in six weeks play 11 matches.
“Play on Monday with 10 men, enjoying five hours on the M6 coming back to Manchester.
“We are living all these things and let’s see if Sunday we get a point. That would be great result.”
