PREM: Manchester United v Bournemouth preview

Manchester United v Bournemouth preview

Romelu Lukaku, Alexis Sanchez and Anthony Martial are doubts for Manchester United as they prepare to host Bournemouth in the Premier League on Sunday.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has overseen comprehensive wins against Cardiff and Huddersfield in his first two matches since succeeding Jose Mourinho.

Martial scored in the first game at Cardiff but missed the Huddersfield match through illness, while Lukaku and Sanchez were unavailable for both fixtures.

Solskjaer said. "Romelu, Anthony and Alexis they were light, light [training] on Thursday so hopefully they can join part of the training today (Friday) and let's see after how they come through.

"My chats with Anthony, Romelu, Alexis, whoever... [they have] not felt that they cannot produce their best of football. I'm here to guide them, help them on the path and then it's up to them to do it on the pitch."

Bournemouth's 5-0 defeat to Spurs at Wembley on Boxing Day was their seventh in nine Premier League matches. That run has seen them slip into the bottom half of the table after a flying start to the campaign, but Howe's side are a healthy 14 points above the bottom three.

Manager Eddie Howe said: "Sunday will be a tough game. Whenever you go to Old Trafford it's a tough assignment. We're looking forward to rising to the challenge, they've had two good results. We'd love to elevate our position, of course, [but] we're still in control of what we do this season."

Marcos Rojo and Scott McTominay are edging closer to a return for United, while Chris Smalling is out until the new year with a sore foot. Antonio Valencia is also building his fitness ahead of the game.

Bournemouth will be without injured captain Simon Francis. He is the third Cherries player to sustain a serious knee injury this season after he ruptured an anterior cruciate ligament in the Boxing Day defeat to Tottenham.

Adam Smith and Lewis Cook are both in rehabilitation, while Dan Gosling has also missed the Christmas fixture programme due to a knee problem.