Mourinho expects Valencia to miss Manchester derby

Matt Stead

Jose Mourinho does not expect Antonio Valencia to be available for the Manchester derby on September 10.

United will return from the current international break and immediately commence preparation for their clash with bitter rivals Manchester City in a week’s time.

Both clubs boast perfect records from their opening three Premier League games thus far, and they will be looking to gain an advantage in the title race.

But Mourinho does not expect Valencia to be available for the game at Old Trafford, as the Ecuadorean will return from international duty just a day before.

Valencia has performed excellently at right-back for United this season, and has been a player reborn under new management. But Matteo Darmian is likely to fill in in his absence,

“Some are coming back on the Monday before the Manchester City match but some are coming back on Friday,” the manager told United’s official website. “The day before Man City, we will still have Sergio Romero, Marcos Rojo and Antonio Valencia arriving.

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