Wayne Rooney will play his first match for Manchester United this year after Jose Mourinho confirmed the club captain is finally fit enough to be involved. Manchester United host Reading in the third round of the FA Cup at Old Trafford on Saturday.
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Rooney has not played since pulling out just before the Boxing Day match against Sunderland, and while Mourinho has not revealed too much about that "knock", the Portuguese admitted the England international would be in the starting XI for the game against Reading.
Also in the team will be Sergio Romero, who will take his place in goal, with David De Gea set to be rested. Bastian Schweinsteiger might not start, but Mourinho did reveal the Germany international will be in the matchday squad.
The big positive for Mourinho going into this FA Cup third round match is that he has no injuries to deal with. The only absentee is Eric Bailly, who is currently with the Ivory Coast squad in preparation for the Africa Cup of Nations. That means Mourinho can choose the exact makeup of the squad he wants, without having to involve someone who he might feel needs a rest.
Two players who will not be involved, despite not having any injuries, though, are Morgan Schneiderlin and Memphis Depay, with both players looking for moves away from the club in the January transfer window.
"There are zero injuries," Mourinho told MUTV. "Zero injuries. We have 27 players and zero injuries.
"During the season, we have never had big, big problems with that. We had the normal amount of injuries that happen all the time but, in this moment, we have zero. We have every player available apart from Bailly, who is in the African cup.
"Yes, we have to rest players. Some players, they need a little rest. Many players, they need to play. Many players deserve to play. I trust them all. I know that, if I change three or four players in the team, some people will say there is a risk. Some people will say we do that because it is a Championship team but Reading is better than some Premier League teams."
Reading manager Jaap Stam, who knows a thing or two about playing at Old Trafford, will have to do without the services of Stephen Quinn, Callum Harriott, Anssi Jaakkola and Deniss Rakels.
Prediction: Manchester United win 3-1 with Wayne Rooney joining Sir Bobby Charlton at the top of the all-time goalscorers list for the club.
