Monday 26 December 2016 19:04, UK
Jose Mourinho says Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney is a doubt for the visit of Middlesbrough on New Year's Eve due to a minor muscle injury.
Rooney missed the 3-1 win over Sunderland on Boxing Day due to the "small problem", and is unlikely to feature again for United this calendar year.
"Honestly, I don't think so. I hope so. I would like to have him, he's always a player I would like to have but I have my doubts. Let's see the evolution," Mourinho said.
"It's a strange muscle, a big muscle surrounded by others and you can have an injury there but still be able to move well. He was not feeling very confident. It's not a big day but, in four days, I have my doubts."
Rooney wasn't missed at Old Trafford, with goals from Daley Blind, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Henrikh Mkhitaryan securing their fourth straight league win.
Asked before the game if Rooney was left out to rest him before the busy New Year period, Mourinho had another explanation.
"No, not really because the next match is on the 31st," Mourinho said. "That's not the problem. The problem for us is playing on the 31st and then the 2nd. That's the problem for us as Manchester United.
"He [Rooney] just felt a little thing in training yesterday [Christmas Day] and we all agreed that the best thing for him, and for us, was that he didn't play today."
