Double Cup blow for United
SAINT-ETIENNE: Henrkh Mkhitaryan and Michael Carrick look set to miss the League Cup final after picking up injuries against Saint-Etienne, Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho admitted on Wednesday.
Armenian winger Mkhitaryan scored the winning goal in United’s 1-0 Europa League second leg victory at the Geoffroy Guichard stadium to give the Premier League side a 4-0 aggregate success in their last 32 tie.
But he limped off with a hamstring problem on 25 minutes, with Carrick also leaving the field just past the hour mark after hurting his calf.
“Honestly, I don’t think he [Mkhitaryan] is fit [for the final]. I think him and Michael, I think [they’re] both out,” said a glum-looking Mourinho about their chances of facing Southampton at Wembley on Sunday.
“But this is based on my experience, not based on my medical knowledge, not based on tests and what they have obviously to do tomorrow and after tomorrow.
“I think no chance. I repeat, it’s just my experience: a calf, a hamstring, even if minor, minor, some fibres are damaged. I think [they’re] out.”
Mkhitaryan ghosted between StEtienne’s centre-backs to flick home an inviting left-wing cross from Juan Mata on 16 minutes for the only goal of the game to effectively kill any hope St-Etienne had of mounting an unlikely fightback having lost the first leg at Old Trafford last week 3-0.
But Mkhitaryan lasted only nine more minutes before trudging off holding his hamstring.
Things got worse as Eric Bailly was sent off for United after two quick bookings and then Carrick also made way with a calf problem, looking dejected as he left the field.
Mourinho again moaned about fixture congestion and hit out at the English Football Association for scheduling their FA Cup quarter-final away to Chelsea on a Monday night, just three days before they will play their Europa League last 16 second leg.
“I feel really surprised that the decision is made before our draw in Europe, because in this moment nobody knows who we [will] play against. Where is the first match and second match?
“Imagine we play Chelsea on the Monday and we have to go to the second match in Europe in Russia, in Turkey or in Greece. I think once more the [television] interests are going in front of clubs and English football interests and nobody cares about it.”
United will be joined in the next round by Schalke 04, whose 1-1 draw in their last 32 second-leg tie with PAOK Salonika was enough to secure a 4-1 aggregate win, and FK Krasnodar who went through against Fenerbahce.
Krasnodar drew 1-1 on the night to advance 2-1 on aggregate, with the remaining last-32 ties to be played on Thursday.