Manchester United to miss four stars as Valencia visit Old Trafford

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Manchester United’s defence will undergo further running repairs with Ashley Young one of four players ruled out of Valencia’s visit in the Champions League.

The England international picked up a problem in the 3-1 weekend defeat at West Ham and will miss Tuesday’s match along with Ander Herrera, Jesse Lingard and long-term absentee Marcos Rojo.

Losing 33-year-old Young is a fresh blow to Mourinho’s hopes of setting a stable base, the United manager having unsuccessfully shifted to three central defenders at London Stadium.

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Diogo Dalot, who impressed on debut against Young Boys, is now expected to vie with Antonio Valencia for the right-back berth.

Lingard is recovering from a groin injury, while Herrera – an unused substitute against the Hammers – was battling an ankle problem prior to his return in the EFL Cup penalty shootout defeat to Derby County.

“Apart from Marcos Rojo, now we have Ander Herrera, Ashley Young and Jesse Lingard out,” Mourinho told MUTV.

“I prefer the doctor to speak, but they are not in [the right] conditions.”

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The Valencia clash could prove pivotal to United’s hopes of advancing from Group H with two matches against Juventus still to come.

“It’s a big week,” Jose says. “Everyone wants to play in the Champions League, so we are here and we have the chance to play a big match.”

Meanwhile, Nemanja Matic said the time for dressing-room talk was over at Manchester United as he called for the team’s leaders to show themselves on the pitch against Valencia.

Jose Mourinho’s side go into their Champions League Group H clash having failed to win any of their last three matches, and with only four wins from nine games in all competitions this season.

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That form has left Mourinho under intense pressure but when asked about influential voices in the dressing room, Matic told reporters that it is on the field where United need inspirational figures.

“I don’t think you can resolve something with talking,” he said. “The leaders need to be on the pitch.

“If you talk in the dressing room, that doesn’t mean anything. The most important is on the pitch.”

United’s 3-1 defeat at West Ham on Saturday was their third in the Premier League this season and they are 10th in the table after seven games.

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A poor result against Valencia would lead to even more scrutiny on Mourinho’s position but Matic said the added pressure was not a concern to his team-mates.

“Pressure is always there,” he said. “All my life I have played with pressure and also my team-mates all play with pressure.

“We’re not scared to play. We play football but everyone is trying to win, especially against Manchester United.

“We know that and we have to be ready for that. We weren’t ready in the last few games. As soon as possible we have to be ready.”

 

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