Manchester United team news: Paul Pogba and Zlatan Ibrahimovic start EFL Cup clash vs Bristol City; Henrikh Mkhitaryan on bench

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Tom Doyle21 December 2017

Paul Pogba returns from suspension for Manchester United's EFL Cup quarter final at Championship side Bristol City tonight, while Jose Mourinho has recalled Henrikh Mkhitaryan to the bench.

Armenia forward Mkhitaryan has fallen out of favour in recent weeks and not even made the bench for eight of United's last nine games.

His absence has led to speculation that he could be allowed to leave Old Trafford in the near future, but manager Mourinho insists he remains in his thoughts and has selected him among the substitutes tonight.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic starts up front with competition for attacking places fierce with Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford, Jesse Lingard, Juan Mata, Romelu Lukaku all featuring regularly in matchday squads.

Mourinho said: "We need to take the game really seriously but I'm going to make a few changes and it's possible Miki is involved.

"In this moment we are playing with Mata, Lingard, Rashford or Martial and Lukaku, and the bench has been Ibra and one of the other ones - Martial or Rashford. There is no space for everybody because you need balance on the bench too."

Man United XI: Romero, Darmian, Lindelof, Rojo, Blind, Shaw, McTominay, Pogba, Rashford, Martial, Ibrahimovic

Subs: Pereira, Smalling, Herrera, Mata, Lingard, Mkhitaryan, Lukaku

Bristol City XI: Steele, Wright, Flint, Baker, Magnusson, Brownhill, Smith, Pack, Bryan, Paterson, Reid

Subs: Fielding, Vyner, Kelly, Eliasson, Garita, Lemonheigh-Evans, Taylor

Additional reporting by the Press Association.