Mourinho: Focus on Zlatan Ibrahimovic recovery, not Man United future

Asked if Pogba and Herrera are fit, the boss replied: “Paul no, Ander yes”.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Marcos Rojo, Chris Smalling, Phil Jones and Juan Mata are also unavailable, leaving the visitors short of options for the encounter.

Therefore, Mourinho has little option but to stick with Daley Blind alongside Eric Bailly in the middle of defence while Matteo Darmian is likely to keep his place at left-back ahead of Luke Shaw.

“Of course it’s good to be back”. I leave this season with a good lesson to improve next season.

“Man City contacted my agent, Barcelona as well were talking to my agent, but they weren’t as interested in me as Mourinho”.

But Mourinho suggested the unavailability of Smalling and Jones for the derby was not just down to the players.

“People think that just City spend money but all the clubs around the world, in Spain, Germany, England and Italy, they spend a lot of money”. It’s about the philosophy and mentality around them.

“It means nothing (to finish above City), if you finish fifth or sixth we are above City it means nothing”, he said.

“It means nothing”, he said. Cautious. Cautious. Cautious. Just a cautious approach.

“It’s a profile, it’s the philosophy of work”.

Pep Guardiola believes he has become a better manager since joining Manchester City, despite ending his first season at the club without a trophy.

Manchester United are now unbeaten in 23 successive league matches and if they avoid defeat in this match they’ll equal their longest-ever unbeaten run in the top-flight within a single season (24 games in 2010-11).

“I feel I can contribute quality, composure, experience, and know-how, how to get over the line, whether it’s to win the league or finish top four or get to the final”.

“I think we’ll be able to qualify for the Champions League but, if we are not able to, we are going to adapt and play the Europa League”, he said on Wednesday.

United beat Anderlecht narrowly over two legs to reach the Europa League semi finals against Spanish side Celta Vigo with the first leg next week on May 4th and the return coming seven days later.

“For me the development has been going great all the way through”, Rashford told The Daily Telegraph.