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Wayne Rooney fit for Manchester United's trip to Southampton

No Luke Shaw this weekend, but Manchester United's captain may make his glorious return.

Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images

It's Friday afternoon in England and there's a Manchester United game at the weekend, which means only one thing: Louis van Gaal has been talking to the press again. We don't think he had a sing-song this time, but he did reveal some positive injury news ahead of United's visit to Southampton:

Wayne [Rooney] is fit to play. He's only had one week out. It was because we weren't taking any risks with him. Phil Jones has come back and trained with the group for the first time. He's not match fit but he's fit to train. Only Luke Shaw is injured.

On the subject of who might cover for United's sadly banjaxed leftback, Van Gaal was giving nothing away:

You have to build up again a combination with the player in front of him. Memphis and Shaw were a very [good?] combination and now you have to build up a new combination. You have to start again and that is difficult. It's also difficult for the player who has to replace him. But we have in Blind, Rojo and in Ashley Young, good replacements.

More in that vein over on manutd.com. And as ever, you can predict your starting lineups in the comments below. Whoever gets it right wins ... absolutely nothing, except the respect of the internet. Whatever that's worth. So, absolutely nothing, then.