Manchester United manager José Mourinho could look to captain Wayne Rooney to line up in midfield against Swansea City after a host of injuries has depleted the Red Devils'' squad.
United are without Paul Pogba, Timothy Fosu-Mensah, Juan Mata and the suspended Marouane Fellaini ahead of the match at Old Trafford, meaning the United number 10 could be played in midfield, something he has done often in recent years.
Rooney has rarely featured of late having suffered an injury and was an unused substitute in the goalless draw with Manchester City on Thursday.
Nonetheless, United’s highest ever goal scorer did feature for United in their 2-0 away win against Burnley last weekend and found the net.
Only Herrera and Carrick available
Ahead of the match with Paul Clement’s side, Mourinho said: “It’s an option (playing Rooney in midfield.) We have Ander Herrera and Michael Carrick and nothing else.
“Tim is another that we will miss so we are in trouble but we will fight that’s for sure.”
Rooney has made 36 appearances for the red devils this season, scoring six times. But despite not being considered a first-choice player under Mourinho, he will bring a great deal of experience to a United side looking to qualify for Champions League football, as well as win the Europa League.
Their task of achieving their aims has been dealt a big blow of late with injuries mounting up in multiple positions.
United struggling defensively too
United are also without several central defenders with Phil Jones, Chris Smalling and Marcos Rojo all missing through injury, leaving just Eric Bailly, Daley Blind and the inexperienced Axel Tuanzebe the only fit centre-backs for the match.
Not to mention the absence of top goalscorer Zlatan Ibrahimović, who will remain sidelined for the remainder of the campaign.
On the huge number of injuries, Mourinho continued: “We’re arriving at an extreme situation where I think it must be unique in football with two cruciate ligament injuries in the same match.
"In my career, I had one player in 17 years [injuring his cruciate]. Now, against Anderlecht, I have two in one match and we are very unlucky.”
It’s a huge clash against a relegation battling Swansea who will do all they can to do what many teams have done this season and frustrate United at home.
But Mourinho’s side know they can afford no more slip-ups, even with a lack of fit players, if they wish to keep their hopes alive of finishing in the Premier League’s top four.