Manchester United vs. Zorya Luhansk: Jose Mourinho’s Pre-Match Presser Comments

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho will not play Wayne Rooney in Thursday’s UEFA Europa League match against Zorya Luhansk unless he’s fully fit and capable of producing the kind of performance that won’t result in even more criticism. 

Per Hamish MacKay of the Daily Mirror, Mourinho originally planned on starting the England international:

I was completely convinced of playing him tomorrow.

I’m not sure if I do that because with the situation that you create to him I think he really can’t afford to have a performance that is not really good and I am here to protect him and have to analyse the best thing for him.

If he is not totally ready for it, I will discuss that with the medical staff.

United cruised to a 4-1 win in their last Premier League match against defending champions Leicester City without Rooney, who has not been in great form to start the 2016-17 campaign.

He wasn’t on the pitch for United’s first Europa League match in Rotterdam, where the Red Devils suffered a shock defeat at the hands of Feyenoord. Zorya also produced a shock, holding Fenerbahce to a 1-1 draw in Ukraine, meaning United currently sit in last place in their group.

Zorya are relative minnows of Ukrainian football, but the club has been in fine form of late. They haven’t lost since August and have won their last two …

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