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Jose Mourinho confirms 2 starters to face Everton

Jose Mourinho has confirmed that both Eric Bailly and Phil Jones are likely to return to the Manchester United defence for Sunday’s visit of Everton.

The centre-back duo were both suspended for last night’s 3-0 victory over FC Basel in our opening game of this season’s Champions League.

Whilst Chris Smalling and Victor Lindelof limited the Swiss champions to very few opportunities on their way to keeping a clean sheet, Mourinho has hinted that the regular duo will return for the weekend.

The boss has been quoted by Manchester Evening News after last night’s win as saying:

“If you want to anticipate the next weekend I probably play Bailly and Jones because today they didn’t play, because they are fresh, because it makes sense for them to play again, but then two days after we have a League Cup match, so Victor and Smalling again.

“So we need this and in the Premier League and the Champions League I have to choose the players in relation to the quality. When I know I’m going to face one of these defensive walls Victor is probably the best to come with the ball, to attack spaces in midfield, to fight people in between the lines.

“So what I want is to have the players available and sometimes they are not playing, but for me as a manager it’s important.”

Eric Bailly and Phil Jones have started each of our first four Premier League games this season, keeping a clean sheet in each of the first three.

Mourinho mentioned Smalling and Lindelof will return for Manchester United’s League Cup tie.  That takes place on Wednesday 20 September at home to Championship strugglers Burton Albion.  It falls in between Premier League games versus Everton and Southampton (away).

Manchester United return to Champions League action in two weeks’ time when we travel to CSKA Moscow who were 2-1 winners at Benfica last night.

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