- Man Utd face Bristol City in the League Cup on Wednesday night
- Mourinho could hand Mkhitaryan chance to impress
- It’s been a difficult season for him, speculation has linked him with an exit
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It’s been a difficult period for Man Utd playmaker Henrikh Mkhitaryan, as he hasn’t even been included in the squad for six of the last seven Premier League games.
In turn, that lack of involvement has naturally led to speculation over his future, with The Sun noting that he continues to be linked with an exit from Old Trafford.
Mkhitaryan simply hasn’t been able to replicate the form and class that he displayed at Borussia Dortmund prior to his move to Manchester, as he bagged 23 goals and a staggering 32 assists in his final season in the Bundesliga.
Last season was a struggle as he managed 11 goals and five assists in 41 appearances, albeit he did provide crucial contributions along the way as United won three trophies.
However, this year has been a different matter as after a bright start to the campaign, he has dipped badly as he’s gone without a league goal since September 17, while his last assist came in August.
That in turn has led to him falling down the pecking order for Jose Mourinho, with competition for places fierce at Man Utd with the likes of Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial, Jesse Lingard, Juan Mata and others all vying for the same places.
However, if Mkhitaryan has ambitions of extending his stay with the Red Devils, then he has a chance to remind Mourinho and supporters of what he can do if he features against Bristol City in the League Cup on Wednesday night.
The Portuguese tactician has dropped a major hint that he will play, and so it will be down to the creative ace to make the most of the opportunity.
“We need to take the game really seriously. But I am going to make a few changes and it’s possible Mhiki is involved,” he told the media, as noted by Sky Sports.
In turn, time will tell if he starts and if he does enough to get a place back in the team to at least avoid a January exit which may well be a mini-battle that he has to win to save his Man Utd career.