Pep Guardiola could become the first coach to inflict two league defeats upon Jose Mourinho in a single season when they meet in Thursday's Manchester derby. The personnel may change but the enormity of the fixture does not. I think the fact that we are still fighting for important things is a good motivation to keep people together and make people make an extra effort.
United head into the game on the back of three successive Premier League wins and a 23-match unbeaten run in the league that stretches back to October. "But I think they are not stupid, they are not naive - they know we are going to give them a fight".
While the 23-year-old admitted results have not gone as well as he hoped on the pitch in his first season with Manchester United, he believes a Europa League triumph can provide the ideal finish.
"We go with the players we have", he added.
"It's going to be the game of the season", United's Spanish midfielder Ander Herrera said. The 35-year-old's deal expires at the end of the 2016-17 season.
Central defenders Phil Jones and Chris Smalling and midfielder Juan Mata are also on the injured list.
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Marcos Rojo and top scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic have been ruled out for the rest of the season, while Paul Pogba will miss Friday's game with a muscular problem sustained during Sunday's 2-0 win at Burnley.
Ibrahimovic's injury has opened the door for Marcus Rashford, who netted the game's only goal when United last visited the Etihad in March 2016.
However, this does not necessarily mean he will remain at United, and Mourinho has been coy about the Swede's future. We saw Liverpool lose at home against Crystal Palace.
John Stones and Bacary Sagna are still doubts with muscle injuries but Ilkay Gundogan remains out with a long-term knee injury. Mourinho said it would be "naive" for any rival to think United will be unduly diminished by their injuries and Guardiola concurred.
"It felt like Mourinho was the one who really wanted me".
But, if they manage to win the second tier of European football but fall short in their quest to reach the top four, they WILL play in the 2017-18 Champions League.
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