Manchester; Manchester United have been handed a huge injury boost ahead of their Europa League semi-final first leg clash with Celta Vigo on Thursday night.
Huge question marks still surround what team Jose Mourinho will put out after his squad was ravaged by injuries in recent weeks.
However, the Red Devils seem to have been handed some respite with Eric Bailly, Chris Smalling, Phil Jones and Paul Pogba all spotted in training on Wednesday.
The return of the three defenders in particular will be relief to many United fans after they were left with the bare bones at the back.
England pair Smalling and Jones have been out since mid-March, while fellow centre-back Bailly limped off in the 61st minute of United’s 1-1 draw with Swansea City on Sunday, with left-back Luke Shaw sustaining a foot injury in the same game. Long-term crock Marcos Rojo is another defensive absentee.
Mourinho was expected to have to play a makeshift back-four consisting of Antonio Valencia, Matteo Darmian, Michael Carrick and Ashley Young but this may no longer be necessary with the Red Devils’ first-team regulars coming back into the equation.
The return of influential midfielder Pogba is also good news for United after he missed their last two Premier League games with a hamstring problem.
Up top, the Red Devils have a full compliment aside from the long-term injured Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
There may be question marks over a new deal for the 35-year-old Swede, who is out of contract at the end of the season, but Mourinho has made a Europa League promise to Ibra.
“I hope we get to the final and I hope he can get to go to (the) stadium,” Mourinho told Bein Sports. “I hope he can go with the captain to collect the cup.”
Wayne Rooney has stepped up in Ibrahimovic’s absence and has scored twice in his last three outings, against Burnley and Swansea.
Midfielder Juan Mata could make his first appearance since a groin injury, while Marouane Fellaini is available despite currently serving a three-game domestic suspension.
Mata’s countrymen at Celta Vigo have been preparing for the game since defeating Genk in the quarter-finals with coach Eduardo Berizzo carrying out a series of squad rotations to ensure his strongest starting XI.
The rotations have seen Celta lose their last three home games in La Liga, with a 3-0 home defeat to Athletic Club Bilbao on Sunday the latest of those setbacks.
Former Manchester City striker John Guidetti, however, is confident things will be different on Thursday for the Spanish side as they bid to shock United.
“With the mentality we have built here, nothing is impossible,” he told Uefa.com.
“We may be a small club and a team that others don’t take much notice of, but we also know how good we are, that’s why we’ve beaten Barcelona two years in a row and why we knocked Real Madrid out of this season’s Cup.
“We have shown that we are a good team,” insisted the Swedish forward.
United, meanwhile, will travel to Norway as part of their 2017-18 pre-season tour.
Jose Mourinho’s side will play Valerenga IF at Oslo’s Ullevaal Stadium on July 30.
United had already announced a tour of the United States in July, when they will play LA Galaxy, Real Salt Lake, Manchester City, Real Madrid and Barcelona.
“The team will have access to top-class facilities and the number of games this summer ensures that the manager and squad have the best opportunity to prepare for the coming season,” executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward said in a press release.
“Playing games across a number of locations gives our unrivalled fans the opportunity to watch the team play, with the club being fortunate to have such fantastic support right across the world.”
Europa League fixture, semi-final, first leg, on Thursday:
Celta Vigo v Manchester United 11.05pm (UAE time)
