Marcelino sure Bailly can rise again with Red Devils

VALENCIA head coach Marcelino has backed “extraordinary” Eric Bailly to get back to his best at Manchester United.

With Champions League progress assured, injuries biting and Sunday’s trip to Liverpool on the horizon, United manager Jose Mourinho is likely to rotate in Spain for tonight’s Group H match.

Bailly trained ahead of United’s trip to Valencia after overcoming a knock and will be hoping for just his second appearance since Newcastle visited in October, when he was unceremoniously hauled off after just 19 minutes.

It underlined how far the Ivory Coast international had fallen down the pecking order after such a bright start to life at Old Trafford following his move from a Villarreal side managed by current Valencia coach Marcelino in 2016.

“I was so lucky to have Eric as a footballer, as a player,” he said. “He’s an extraordinary player and an extraordinary person.

“I’m so sorry for his injuries, because I know his performances are conditioned by this. I know he is having a hard time and suffering when trying to have a stable rhythm in the team.

“I wish nothing but the best for him and I feel his youth will help him through these hard times and he will be very important for United.

“I think he’s playing really well for United when he plays, but because of his injuries he’s not getting the luck he deserves.”

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says he has only 15 fit senior players available for their Champions League clash with Hoffenheim.

David Silva and Fernandinho are the latest additions to an injury list that includes Sergio Aguero, Kevin De Bruyne, Danilo, Benjamin Mendy and Claudio Bravo. Oleksandar Zinchenko has also been out in recent weeks.

The problems come after City suffered their first Premier League defeat of the season, at Chelsea on Saturday, to lose top spot.

Tonight’s match against Hoffenheim has less riding on it with City already through to the last 16. A point will ensure the finish as winners of Group F.

Guardiola said: “We have 15 players available so I cannot do too much.

“We are going into a really tough game. We are in the next stage and that’s important, but we want to go through finishing first. Every game we try to win.

“If you finish first or second the last 16 is tough, but to play at home (in the second leg) is a small advantage.”