clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Rojo and Zlatan "closer to ready than not ready", says Jose Mourinho

Manchester United's injury problems are clearing up ahead of the big game against Liverpool

Manchester United v West Ham United - EFL Cup Quarter-Final Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

Liverpool on Sunday, then. Have you been crossing your fingers, rubbing your lucky rabbits' foot, polishing your horseshoe, saying your prayers, and sacrificing small animals — the unlucky rest of the rabbit, perhaps — to a broad spectrum of divinities, major and minor, all so he would be fit for the weekend?

Well, you may have got your wish! Marcos Rojo is close to full fitness! Along with some bloke called "Zlatan Ibrahimovic", whoever that is.

Speaking to MUTV and then to the press ahead of Sunday's game, Jose Mourinho couldn't be definitive, but sounded optimistic about having a full squad available. First he said:

I think they are available. I cannot confirm with 48 hours to the match but I think so.

And then later added:

I think they are closer to being ready than not being ready.

We can be fairly sure that Ibrahimovic will play if he's close to full fitness. A return for Rojo, however, would leave Mourinho with an interesting question to answer. Our guess would be that he'd stick with Smalling and Jones, since they've been in full training for the last couple of weeks. But that's very much a guess.