Jose Mourinho cuts four Manchester United players from matchday squad for Manchester City clash

Jose Mourinho cuts four Manchester United players from matchday squad for Manchester City clash

ose Mourinho has a near fully-fit squad to choose from to take on Manchester City. (Getty Images) Jose Mourinho has cut four players from Manchester United’s matchday squad for their derby with Manchester City on Saturday. Pep Guardiola’s side have the chance to win the Premier League title if they beat their rivals at the Etihad Stadium. Jose Mourinho, meanwhile, has nearly a fully-fit squad to choose from as back-up goalkeeper Sergio Romero remains the only player ruled out ahead of the match. But according to Manchester Evening News, Jones was not seen entering The Lowry Hotel along with Luke Shaw, Marouane Fellaini and Daley Blind were also missing. Jones has not played for United since the 1-0 defeat to Newcastle United on February 11 but the centre-back did train with the rest of his teammates at Carrington on Friday.

Fellaini, whose contract expires at the end of the season, returned from a knee injury last month but was missing from United’s matchday squad for the 2-0 win over Swansea City last weekend. Shaw, meanwhile, was left on the bench for last Saturday’s victory at Old Trafford following his half-time bust-up with Mourinho in the win over Brighton before the international break.

Mourinho has also urged his United players to deny City a chance to wrap up the Premier League title early. ‘The only thing I can say is that we want to win, we don’t want to offer them the game,’ he said. ‘We want to go there and want to compete and win the match if possible. That’s the only thing I can say. ‘It is normal that you want to delay the champions becoming champions. ‘We would like to beat them, we would like Spurs to beat them next week, we would like them to be champions as late as possible.’ MORE: MANCHESTER UNITED FC