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Mourinho on Manchester United’s injured CBs, Rooney usage

Chelsea v Manchester United - Premier League

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 23: Chris Smalling of Manchester United tackles Diego Costa of Chelsea during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Manchester United at Stamford Bridge on October 23, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

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Jose Mourinho has three center backs available to him to help stop Harry Kane and Dele Alli, but it was nearly more dire than that.

Eric Bailly is available for Manchester United for Sunday’s match against Spurs after appearing to be injured late in Thursday’s encounter at Zorya Luhansk.

Chris Smalling won’t be, however, meaning Bailly will likely pair with either Phil Jones or Marcos Rojo in the back of the Red Devils formation.

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This won’t surprise too many, but the conversation turned to Wayne Rooney. The attacker has three goals and eight assists in 20 matches this season (one and four of those in the Premier League).

Mourinho says he expects more goals from Rooney, but no more than he does any of his other attackers aside from Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

From Sky Sports:

“In the national team he is their player, he is not my player, and they can do what they want. If they want to play him right-back, they can play him right-back. It’s not my problem.

“In my team, he is an attacking player - he will play as a nine or a 10, or eventually coming from one of the sides.”


Nothing new there, but you can understand how any manager and Rooney himself would tire of answering the same questions every week. And it won’t ease much if he leaves Old Trafford.

Follow @NicholasMendola