Jose Mourinho – Man Utd fringe players will get chances in the Champions League & EFL Cup

Posted Wednesday, August 30, 2017 by squawka.com

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has revealed that he will soon give game to the club's fringe players such as Andreas Pereira.

United have made a flying start to the Premier League season, winning their first three matches, with Mourinho only making subtle changes to his starting line-up across those games.

The likes of Pereira, Victor Lindelof and club captain Michael Carrick have been on the periphery of proceedings so far but should be involved when United play in other competitions.

As reported by Manchester Evening News, Mourinho said: "I will be very happy when the Champions League and League Cup start because then I'll have more games and more opportunities to give all of my players the game time they deserve.

"As ever, all the boys are working hard. It might be easy for people to praise the ones who have done so well in the opening games of the season, but I prefer to praise the amazing professionals who are not playing at the moment.

"They might not have played the minutes they would have liked so far, but they are all being very patient and waiting for their opportunity to become important for the team.

"Last season showed how much we will need to use the whole squad during the course of the campaign, and while I can only pick 11 players to start each game, the boys all know they will get chances and I know I can count on any of them whenever selected."

With Phil Jones and Eric Bailly suspended, Mourinho revealed that summer signing Lindelof will play alongside Chris Smalling at the heart of the United defence at home to Basel in the Champions League next month.

Mourinho said: "I have to say Smalling is in very good conditions and I have also to say Victor is improving every day. So, as you know, against Basel Jones and Eric are both suspended, so against Basel we will play Victor and Smalling and no problem at all.

"The squad is good and the mentality of the players is very good too."

Pereira, meanwhile, hasn't played a competitive game for United since returning from his loan spell at Granada but the fact that he is still at the club indicates that he will be involved in some capacity this campaign.

The midfielder has made five Premier League appearances since breaking into the United first-team.