Chris Smalling to sit out Man United’s final Champions League group game in Valencia as defender struggles with fractured foot
- Smalling will sit out Man United’s final group stage game with Valencia
- Centre-half has been struggling with a hairline fracture in his left foot
- He required painkilling injections to take field against Arsenal and Fulham
- Smalling limped out of Saturday’s 4-1 win over Fulham during second-half
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.
Chris Smalling (right) will miss Manchester United’s Champions League trip to Valencia
The United centre-half was substituted during the 4-1 weekend win over Fulham
Smalling has been struggling after suffering a hairline fracture of his left foot last month
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.
