Manchester United trio miss Zorya Luhansk trip ahead of Tottenham clash on Sunday

James Benge7 December 2016

Manchester United trio Michael Carrick, Antonio Valencia and Matteo Darmian have been left behind ahead of their side’s Europa League game against Zorya Luhansk with an eye on Sunday’s clash with Tottenham.

Michael Carrick, Antonio Valencia and Matteo Darmian have all remained in Manchester rather than join the rest of the squad in Odessa.

Valencia and Carrick have both been regulars in Jose Mourinho’s side over recent weeks with the 35-year-old midfielder having brought the best out of summer signing Paul Pogba and offered a more secure shield for United’s backline.

Carrick will be particularly keen to feature against his former club on Sunday having captained United last time the two sides met, a 3-0 humiliation for the Red Devils at White Hart Lane. Sunday's visit of Tottenham is a match Mourinho can ill afford to lose after three consecutive league draws. Defeat could leave his side up to 12 points off the top four.

Those United players that have travelled to Ukraine face Zorya needing a point on a frozen surface that could provide cause for fitness concerns, with Daley Blind saying it was “like a rock” when he trained on it on Wednesday.

“The pitch is very hard, the pitch is very icy,” Mourinho said.

“Called off the game? I think UEFA know the conditions of the pitch and everybody knows that in mid-December the conditions in Ukraine and Eastern Europe are more difficult.

“So if UEFA was worried about it, they should change the fixtures and not allow the last fixtures to be played in mid-December.”

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