download All Football App

Smalling to sit out Man United's final UCL group game in Valencia

  /  autty

Chris Smalling will sit out Manchester United's trip to Valencia as club physios look to manage his fractured foot injury.

The 29-year-old centre-back, who is in talks over a new contract at Old Trafford, suffered a hairline fracture to a bone in his left foot during United's win over Young Boys last month and had painkilling injections to play against Arsenal and Fulham.

Smalling was unable to even put on a shoe or trainer for a week owing to the swelling after suffering the injury against Young Boys.

He sat out the disappointing 2-2 draw at Southampton but had an injection to face Arsenal with Jose Mourinho desperate to strengthen his defence.

However, Smalling limped out of Saturday's win over Fulham after 58 minutes to be replaced by Marcos Rojo and will be rested along with a number of other first team regulars for the Champions League trip to Valencia on Tuesday.

Mourinho is looking to protect Smalling ahead of the weekend clash with Liverpool.

Eric Bailly has declared himself fit while Paul Pogba and Andreas Pereira are both expected to figure against Valencia and goalkeeper Sergio Romero may get a rare start in goal.