EUROPA DRAW
Manchester United have drawn Belgian side Anderlecht in the quarter-finals of the Europa League. It looks like a kind draw on paper after United avoided the likes of Lyon and Schalke and of course the trip to Besiktas. The ties will be played on April 13th. The matches to be played are –
United V Anderlecht
Lyon V Besiktas
Ajax V Schalke
Celta Vigo V Genk.
POGBA INJURY
Paul Pogba will miss Sunday’s trip to Middlesbrough with the hamstring injury he picked up in the win over Rostov. He was replaced by Marouane Fellaini just after the 48th minute mark and went straight down the tunnel. He was walking gingerly. Following the match Jose Mourinho admitted that he may face n extended spell in the sidelines. “I don’t know for sure, but for sure, no Middlesbrough and no national team.”
BLIND INJURY
Shortly after Pogba’s injury, Daley Blind picked up a knock to the head and seemed concussed. He was treated on the pitch for a short while before being withdrawn by Mourinho in place of Phil Jones. Like Pogba, Blind too went straight down the tunnel. In his post-match comments Mourinho did not seem sure of what sort of injury Blind picked up. Mourinho said: “Paul has a muscular injury, Daley I don’t know, I will have to see what happened.”
BANANAS AND AN INHALER
Old Trafford was a strange place to be last night. Phil Jones who replaced Daley Blind on the left was left needing an inhaler moments after coming on. And that’s not all. Minutes later, Mourinho passed on a banana to Ashley Young who gave it to Marcos Rojo. It went straight to his belly. Strange times.
MADRID ACCEPTANCE
Atletico Madrid have reportedly accepted that they will lose Antione Griezmann to Manchester United in the summer and are already lining up replacements. Griezmann has been linked with a mega-bucks move to Old Trafford throughout the season and seems set to follow his good friend Paul Pogba at the club. Atletico have meanwhile inquired about Lyon star Alexandre Lacazette.
UNITED’S ENGLAND STARS
Manchester United players Luke Shaw, Phil Jones, Chris Smalling, Jesse Lingard and Marcus Rashford have been called up by England boss Gareth Southgate to face Lithuania and Germany in the upcoming World Cup qualifier and friendly. England and Manchester United Captain Wayne Rooney misses out due to injury.
Luke Shaw is in the England squad for the first time since breaking his leg in September of 2017. His last cap for the country came in September 2015 against Switzerland.