PREM: Man Utd v Sunderland preview

Man Utd v Sunderland preview

Manchester United should have Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Eric Bailly back for the visit of Sunderland on Boxing Day.

Armenian playmaker Mkhitaryan has missed the past two games with an ankle injury picked up in the win over Tottenham while centre-back Bailly (knee) was injured in the next game against Crystal Palace.

Boss Jose Mourinho confirmed full-back Luke Shaw is his only absentee at the moment due to a groin strain.

Adnan Januzaj will sit out the clash with his parent club on Boxing Day.

Winger Januzaj is ineligible under the terms of his loan agreement, and will be joined on the sidelines by Jan Kirchhoff, who has undergone surgery for a knee cartilage injury which will keep him out for 12 weeks.

Defenders Billy Jones (hip) and Javier Manquillo (hamstring) and midfielder Steven Pienaar (calf) have returned to training, but the game could come too soon for them, and Lee Cattermole (hip), Jack Rodwell (hamstring), Lynden Gooch (ankle), Paddy McNair and Duncan Watmore (both knee) are still out.

Sunderland boss David Moyes says "The only regret when I was United Manager would be the time, only the timescale. But I think most people looking back at it and me myself would say I don't think whoever had taken over from Sir Alex would have had an easy ride.

"Whether it had been Jose then or Carlo Ancelotti or Jurgen Klopp or Pep Guardiola or David Moyes, I think it would have been a difficult job for whoever took over.

"I was definitely unfairly treated. Over the piece, other managers have come and gone and it's been difficult for them as well. I think it would have taken whoever it was time to change the squad around.

"They had great players, Manchester United - there were one or two who were getting near the end of their careers. It was gong to be a little bit of a rebuilding job and it was never going to be done immediately."

Squads:

Manchester United: Pickford, Mannone, Jones, Manquillo, Van Aanholt, Love, Kone, O'Shea, Djilobodji, Denayer, Ndong, Pienaar, Larsson, Borini, Khazri, Honeyman, E Robson, Defoe, Anichebe, Asoro.

Sunderland: De Gea, Romero, Johnstone, Valencia, Fosu-Mensah, Jones, Smalling, Rojo, Bailly, Darmian, Blind, Young, Fellaini, Carrick, Herrera, Schweinsteiger, Pogba, Lingard, Mata, Mkhitaryan, Martial, Rashford, Rooney, Ibrahimovic