Mourinho laments timing of international break

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho said the international break has made his plans for the Manchester derby a bit more “complicated” than he would have liked.

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho said the international break has made his plans for the Manchester derby a bit more “complicated” than he would have liked, especially with his South American players returning a day before the clash.

With a bulk of the United squad away on international duty and striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic being given an extended break, Mourinho has been left with almost none of first team players to work with since Saturday's last-gasp win over Hull City.

The former Chelsea and Real Madrid manager will also have first-choice right back Antonio Valencia and squad players, goalkeeper Sergio Romero and defender Marcos Rojo, arrive at the club's training ground, 24 hours before the Sept. 10 fixture.

“We keep eight outfield players and Sam Johnstone as the goalkeeper. We are going to lose the others and we don't know the way they train, the way they recover, the life they are going to have with their national teams,” Mourinho told MUTV.

“Some are coming back on the Monday before the Manchester City match but some are coming back on Friday. The day before Man City, we will still have Sergio Romero, Marcos Rojo and Valencia arriving.

“It will be a complicated process but we know it is like this when we have these players. And I would love all of the players to go because it would mean that everybody is being selected for their national teams.”

There was little love lost between Mourinho and Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola when the Portuguese was in charge at Madrid and the Spaniard led Barcelona.

They will renew hostilities after the international break at Old Trafford with both sides protecting 100 percent records after three Premier League matches. – Reuters