Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has revealed that Paul Pogba will miss his side's Premier League clash with Southampton on Wednesday following the recent death of his father.
Pogba was also absent for Sunday's 2-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur, and Mourinho insisted that they will not rush the France international back following the personal tragedy.
Mourinho also confirmed that he will make changes for the trip to St Mary's, ruling Daley Blind out of the match but revealing that Marouane Fellaini will return following a three-match domestic ban.
"I have to build some teams with the minimum of conditions to fight for a result. We lost against Arsenal 2-0 and we fought for the result. We lost 2-1 [at Spurs] and we fought for the result. We always want to fight for the result. I don't want to field a team where people think we aren't fighting for the result – we are fighting for the result. What I want from the players is a positive attitude, good team spirit and the understanding that some guys have to sacrifice themselves for the good of others," he told reporters.
"So I'm going to rotate some people. Blind will not play against Southampton but Fellaini will, because he has not played the last three matches. These are examples of trying not to accumulate [matches] but people have to play because we don't have other players. I cannot put four or five other kids all together in the fire; I cannot do that to the kids.
"I don't think [Pogba will be available]. I think that his dad's funeral has to be between Tuesday and Wednesday in France. I don't think that Paul has the conditions to play. We have left him completely free to be back when he thinks he's ready. [Martial] didn't play against Celta because the options were different but he is fine and he is one of the guys that it is very important for him to play 90 minutes. [Chris] Smalling, [Phil] Jones, [Juan] Mata – it is very important for them to play 90 minutes."
Mourinho also revealed that he is trying to give a day off to as many of his players as possible in order to get them in the best shape for the Europa League final against Ajax later this month.
"I am giving one-day holiday 'a la carte', if you understand – Blind one day off, [Henrikh] Mkhitaryan one day off, [Ander] Herrera one day off. But the guys who played 90 minutes [vs. Spurs], I cannot give them one day off if I want them to play versus Southampton because they need two recovery days. I'm trying to get people to be the best they can be," he added.
"This is a period in one week where I have to give one day off, give [Antonio] Valencia a day off. And, against Crystal Palace, two or three more [players], and against Southampton, two or three more. And that's to try to arrive in the final in the best possible condition.
"Team spirit, empathy and the fantastic attitude that everybody has is not one more victory, one more point, one more defeat that is going to change something. A final is a final and we have to go to the final with everything like Ajax does because they have finished the season and they do not have any more football to play until the final."
The Europa League final is United's only remaining route into the Champions League after Sunday's defeat to Spurs ended their hopes of a top-four finish.
Barney Corkhill
