Jose Mourinho has hinted that Henrikh Mkhitaryan could be part of Manchester United’s squad to face Chelsea this Sunday after revealing that the midfielder will be ready to play ‘very soon’.
The summer signing from Borussia Dortmund hasn’t featured since United’s derby defeat to Manchester City on September 10 due to a thigh problem.
Mourinho confirmed last week that the Armenia international was free from injury but the midfielder missed Thursday night’s 4-1 win over Fenerbahce in the Europa League because he’s still short of match fitness.
‘The situation is that we played with Lingard, with Mata and Martial [against Fenerbahce],’ Mourinho said.
‘I am not an Einstein, I don’t know a tactical system to play with four wingers at the same time. He has to work more to get the intensity and the real fitness to play at the high level.
‘To have him here tonight on the bench and to give him 15 to 20 minutes, like I did with Memphis, I thought it would be better for him to work the way he did yesterday and much harder, obviously.
‘I thought it would be much better for him to work today, like he did in the specific session, than to wait for his chance. But he is ready. He is ready very soon.’
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