KEY POINTS

  • Pogba suffered a hamstring injury during United's game against Basel in September.
  • Rojo has been sidelined since April with a knee injury.

Jose Mourinho has provided a double injury update with regards to long-term absentees Marcos Rojo and Paul Pogba ahead of Manchester United's upcoming clashes against Benfica and Chelsea in the Champions League and Premier League, respectively.

The former has been sidelined since the latter stages of last season after he suffered a severe knee injury during the Red Devils' Europa League clash against Anderlecht in April. He has been in rehabilitation since the start of the season and recently returned first-team training.

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Pogba, on the other hand, has been sidelined since mid-September with a hamstring injury. Initial diagnosis suggested that it could be a four-week absence, but he is yet to return to first-team training. Mourinho revealed that he was in the dark with regards to a potential date, which suggests that he will not return for their clash against Antonio Conte's side on Sunday (5 November).

"Marcos is training with me, albeit with certain conditions, and because he is training with me, I can say I expect him to be back after the international break," Mourinho said, as quoted by Sky Sports. "I can predict that because he is training with me."

"I have no idea [about Paul's recovery]. I am not in control of his recovery process. He's not training with me. He is on individual work and when a player is on individual work and not in my group, not even in certain conditions, [I cannot predict his return]," the Portuguese coach added about the Frenchman.

Paul Pogba
Paul Pogba (R) is yet to join first-team training as he continues comeback from a hamstring injury Getty

Mourinho continues to face a shortage in midfield going into the busy week with Marouane Fellaini and Michael Carrick also on the sidelines along with Pogba. Nemanja Matic and Ander Herrera and Henrikh Mkhitaryan have filled the void.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic, meanwhile, remains a long-term absentee after suffering a knee injury similar to Rojo in April. The Swede continues to train at Carrington and admitted recently that he is close to a return, but it is unlikely to be before December.

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