ARSENAL V UNITED

JOSE Mourinho has hinted he will rest United duo Eric Bailly and Marcus Rashford for tomorrow’s Premier League trip to Arsenal.

United’s capital fixture is sandwiched between their Europa League semi-final ties with Celta Vigo and Mourinho has made it abundantly clear in recent months that European success is United’s priority.

Although the Reds are only a point behind fourth-placed City they have performed so inconsistently at home this season Mourinho has conceded defeat in their efforts to finish higher than their standing of fifth last season.

The United manager also said the players who played the most minutes during the crammed April would sit out the game at The Emirates. “We are going to try,” Mourinho said. “We are going to try. We are not going to Arsenal to say ‘beat us,’ or ‘beat us 5 or 6-0,’ we are going there to fight for a result.

“But, it’s impossible. I cannot do it in another way. If Celta was playing with their best team, if Celta was fighting for important things in La Liga, we would go in the same circumstances, but I cannot now play with the same team that played here, and then repeat again on the next Thursday.

“So, we have to be human with the players, we have to be sensible and common sense in relation to our situation in the Premier League, and I think the last match against Swansea was last our last chance to fight for top four, so I am going to rest players, sure.”

Mourinho also confirmed David de Gea will return to the line up against Arsenal.

Sergio Romero started his ninth successive Europa League tie against Celta Vigo but has made just one appearance in the Premier League this season. Should United reach the Europa League final Mourinho will have the dilemma of dropping the consistent Romero or disappointing undisputed No.1 De Gea. The situation comes amid uncertainty over De Gea’s future as Real Madrid intensify their interest but Mourinho remains reluctant to dub Romero as his European goalkeeper. “I don’t like to say this competition is for that goalkeeper, this competition for another one,” Mourinho said. “I don’t like that complete separation. So Sunday plays David.” United will be without Marouane Fellaini at the weekend as he serves the second of a three-match suspension, while Ashley Young is also out after he suffered a hamstring injury in Vigo. Phil Jones and Axel Tuanzebe are expected to replace them. Jose Mourinho