Manchester United vs Chelsea - Pogba fitness boost for Manchester United

Posted Friday, August 09, 2019 by PA

Paul Pogba is fit to start Manchester United’s Premier League opener against Chelsea.

The midfielder missed the final pre-season game against AC Milan due to a back spasm, but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has confirmed he is fit for Sunday.

Harry Maguire, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Daniel James could make their debuts, while 17-year-old Mason Greenwood is set to be named in the squad. Eric Bailly and Tim Fosu-Mensah are both injured, while Alexis Sanchez may not be involved after picking up a hamstring issue towards the end of the Copa America.

Chelsea boss Frank Lampard will make a late decision on N’Golo Kante before the game at Old Trafford.

France midfielder Kante hopes to return following a knee injury, while forward Willian and defender Antonio Rudiger (both knee) also face fitness tests but are unlikely to feature.

United States winger Christian Pulisic could make his Blues debut following his £58million move from Borussia Dortmund, but England duo Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Callum Hudson-Odoi (both Achilles) will be unavailable.

Man Utd provisional squad: De Gea, Romero, Dalot, Wan-Bissaka, Young, Jones, Maguire, Lindelof, Rojo, Smalling, Tuanzebe, Shaw, Darmian, Chong, Garner, Gomes, James, Fred, Lingard, Matic, Mata, McTominay, Pereira, Pogba, Greenwood, Lukaku, Martial, Rashford

Chelsea provisional squad: Arrizabalaga, Caballero, Azpilicueta, Zappacosta, Rudiger, Tomori, Christensen, Zouma, Alonso, Palmieri, Jorginho, Kante, Barkley, Kovacic, Mount, Kenedy, Pedro, Willian, Pulisic, Giroud, Abraham, Batshuayi.