When you look at the record of Jose Mourinho it adds an interesting angle to the debate about how much football injuries come down to simple bad luck.
Because, through his career, he has largely overseen very fit squads.
He clearly puts a lot of stock in the general fitness and susceptibility to injury when he buys a player. But he also obviously has great trainers and physios because he has made this Manchester United squad very fit indeed.
Louis van Gaal’s time at Manchester United was pockmarked with a long injury list but Mourinho now has just one to contend with – and that’s the anterior cruciate ligament injury to James Wilson.
He has also got Phil Jones back on the park and playing more consecutive games than at any time in his Manchester United career.
And the boss will need a fit squad this weekend because Stoke is never an easy place to travel.
TFF thinks that Manchester United need to go at this game with pace. Some would opine that an extra man in the engine room could be necessary to deal with the inevitable physical battle that Stoke will offer.
But TFF thinks that in Herrera, Pogba and Carrick Manchester United have more than enough mettle to control that area of the park.
What they need is pace to get around the back of the opposition on the counter.
And that’s why we would love to see Mkhitaryan and Martial start again. We haven’t seen too many consecutive appearances for the pair as Jose seemingly likes to rotate his wide men and keep them fresh.
But United need momentum again after the draw with Liverpool brought their winning run to an end. And these two speedsters could offer the perfect outlet for Manchester United as they look to stay apace with the top four.
So here is our final XI for the game and it looks tasty.
