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Phil Jones, Michael Carrick, Daley Blind and Marcos Rojo all out of Manchester United's clash with Chelsea... as Louis van Gaal says Wayne Rooney may start in holding midfield

                                                         

                                                                                                                               

Wayne Rooney may have to revert to a midfield role at Stamford Bridge on Saturday night after Michael Carrick and Daley Blind were two of four Manchester United players ruled out of the clash with Chelsea.

Centre-backs Phil Jones and Marcos Rojo will also miss the trip to the Premier League leaders, and with Jonny Evans completing his six-match ban, Louis van Gaal described it as ‘the worst scenario’.

Jones and Blind, who was injured by Vincent Kompany’s controversial challenge in the Manchester derby last weekend, both have ankle injuries while Carrick limped out of that game with a tight calf and Rojo later reported a stomach muscle problem.

Michael Carrick limped off against Manchester City while Marcos Rojo picked up an injury soon after

Louis van Gaal also revealed in his pre-match press conference that Daley Blind and Phil Jones are out

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Wayne Rooney has impressed up front in recent weeks but may have to drop further back

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Louis van Gaal puts his arm round Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney during training this week

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Van Gaal has revealed that Rooney may play in holding midfield role against Chelsea

MANCHESTER UNITED PROBABLE XI 

4-1-4-1: De Gea; Valencia, Smalling, Blackett, Shaw; Rooney; Mata, Herrera, Fellaini, Young; Falcao

United’s injury setback means that Luke Shaw and Radamel Falcao could both be recalled against Jose Mourinho’s side.

‘I have to tell that we have four injuries who played the last match so that’s not so good for us,’ said Van Gaal. ‘We had very good hope that we should recover two of the four but it’s not like that. Carrick is out and Rojo is out, but also Blind and Jones.

‘That’s the worst scenario because Rojo and Jones are good players at the left central defender position. Evans is suspended so we don’t have many choices. Blind and Carrick could play the midfield holding position and I don’t have any other option, or I have to play Wayne Rooney in that position again. I have to puzzle a lot for tomorrow.

‘Other players can take profit of the momentum now. It’s always like that. It’s not special in the life of a manager or a team.

‘You have seen that I took Jones off pitch (against Manchester City) because of injury, you have seen that Carrick was off the pitch, you have seen the tackle of Kompany against Blind. Only Rojo is a little bit surprising because he felt it the day after the match.

‘It’s because of the distance between the matches. Blind and Jones were very close to playing but it was not enough.

‘Other players can take profit of the moment now. It’s always like that. It’s not special in the life of a manager or a team.’

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Louis van Gaal addresses the media ahead of Man United's crucial Premier League clash with Chelsea

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Luke Shaw hasn't featured under Louis van Gaal recently but should return to play at left back

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Juan Mata is closed down by his Man United team-mates during a training session on Friday

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Maroaune Fellaini will be hoping to continue his impressive form against Chelsea on Saturday evening

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Marouane Fellaini is embraced by his team-mates after scoring against rivals Man City last week

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Sports analysts BSports predict that a Chelsea win is easily the most likely outcome at Stamford Bridge

Asked if Shaw could return for the first time since being substituted in the FA Cup defeat to Arsenal last month amid concerns over his fitness, Van Gaal replied: ‘Maybe you shall see tomorrow. You never know. Luke is fit enough I think. He has already had more than four or five weeks with no match and I don’t like that. But we train and I think he is fit enough.’

With Chelsea holding an eight-point lead and a game in hand over third-placed United, Van Gaal believes it is asking too much for his team to win the title. He also claimed that Mourinho will be happy with a draw.

‘It’s still possible, I’ve said that before,’ he added. ‘It is not logical but it is possible. It’s more when and if, and I don’t believe in when and if. I believe in facts. The fact is that we are behind Chelsea.

‘But, alright, we have to play against them and so do Arsenal so we can lay pressure on Chelsea’s shoulders. You never know, you’ve seen it in previous Premier League seasons. So I cannot say it is not possible, but it is not logical.

‘They play at home but I think that Chelsea will be satisfied with a draw. Of course they will want to beat Manchester United and we want to beat them, the question is how long players can play in the discipline.

‘We live for these titles, we are doing this for that. The only satisfaction you have as a manager is when you win a title. When you are second or third you can play Champions League, but a title is more fixed for you and you have your name on it. That’s why managers are fixated on titles. When you reach that goal you are happy.

‘To be involved in the game with young people to reach a goal, that is also a goal of mine. That is why I’m still a manager because I don’t have to work anymore – you can count on that. I like to work with young people and help them in their career.’

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Robin van Persie (back right) has only been training with United for a week but may return to feature

Van Gaal gave a young Mourinho his break in coaching at Barcelona. Asked to compare the Portuguese with his current assistant Ryan Giggs, the United boss admitted that he has been surprised by the Old Trafford legend’s work ethic.

He said: ‘It’s always difficult. People compare with each other because Jose Mourinho was not the world-class player that Ryan Giggs was. So that’s the same thing with me. I was not as world-class as, for example, Johann Cruyff yet our ambition is maybe then higher.

‘But I have to admit that I could not imagine when I spoke with him (Giggs) in May or June to ask him to be my assistant manager and we spoke about how we saw it, that he works very hard. As an ex-player you are not used to working very hard and he is a very hard worker, and he reads the game very well like Jose. But to manage a group you have to work, and what I can see is that he’s learning quickly.’