According to the Daily Mirror, Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been given permission to take a short holiday by his manager Jose Mourinho, meaning the striker won’t be available for selection in Manchester United’s European game against Zorya Luhansk on Thursday night.
This opens the door for Wayne Rooney to return to the side after he was dropped for last weekend’s Premier League game against Leicester. United won with a dominant performance against the Foxes, and looked faster and more decisive without Rooney on the pitch.
But with the Mirror reporting that Ibrahimovic is out and Anthony Martial will still be sidelined after sustaining a concussion, Thursday night represents a huge opportunity for Rooney to reclaim his place in the lineup, with his side urgently needing points after losing to Feyenoord in the first game.
The return of Henrik Mkhitaryan from an ankle injury is the only thing preventing Rooney’s start from being a certainty, but the England striker looks set to play from the beginning.