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30th Dec 2017

Jose Mourinho confirms Zlatan Ibrahimovic faces another spell on the sidelines with knee injury

More bad news for United

Simon Lloyd

Jose Mourinho has confirmed Zlatan Ibrahimovic has suffered an injury to his knee and is likely to be out for up to a month.

Ibrahimovic had started for Manchester United during their 2-2 draw with Burnley on Boxing Day, only to be withdrawn at half-time. Speaking after United’s 0-0 draw with Southampton on Saturday afternoon, Mourinho said that the Swedish striker – who only returned from a long-term knee ligament injury last month – was facing another spell on the sidelines.

“He is a 37-year-old with a bad knee,” he told reporters.

Mourinho will also be without Romelu Lukaku for United’s next match, which sees them travel to Goodison Park to take on Everton. The striker had to be stretchered off during the first half of the game against Southampton after a clash of heads with Wesley Hoedt.

Having allayed fears that Lukaku was seriously injured, Mourinho explained that the Belgian is likely to be out for at least two games.

“There is a problem, not just for today but for the next two games for sure, I would say,” he said.

United are now third in the Premier League, leapfrogged by Chelsea, who won 5-0 against Stoke earlier in the day.