Manchester United's Chilean striker Alexis Sanchez (R) confronts Tottenham Hotspur's English midfielder Dele Alli (2L) after Alli tripped him during the English Premier League football match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United at Wembley Stadium in London, on January 31, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / IKIMAGES / Ian KINGTON
Paul Pogba was among the Manchester United stars pictured leaving the squad’s luxury London hotel as they continue to gear up for their highly-anticipated FA Cup semi-final against Tottenham today.
It remains to be seen whether the French midfielder will be in Jose Mourinho’s team to play Spurs with the duo still at loggerheads after a falling out in recent weeks.
Mourinho has hardly spoken to Pogba since substituting him during last Sunday’s defeat by West Brom, while he was replaced again despite an improved performance at Bournemouth on Wednesday leading to frosty scenes in the dugout.
Pogba will be hoping to make up for his abject last outing at Wembley where he was also brought off after a frustrating display in a 2-0 defeat to Spurs in January.
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United’s stars were seen boarding a team coach outside their luxury Pestana Chelsea Bridge hotel on Friday afternoon heading to their base closer to Wembley ahead of today’s game.
Romelu Lukaku, Alexis Sanchez and David de Gea were also among the group seen stepping out into the sweltering London heat.
United have their first-choice line-up available for today’s game. Lukaku and midfielder Nemanja Matic are among those likely to return to the starting XI after playing substitute roles at Bournemouth in midweek.
Mourinho admitted earlier yesterday he doesn’t believe Tottenham’s home advantage will mean anything in the semi-final. Spurs will play at their temporary Wembley ‘home’ in the first of the weekend’s Cup games.
Some have suggested the game should be taking place on another neutral venue but Mourinho said: ‘Look I played one Cup final [with Inter Milan] in Roma’s stadium against Roma and I won.
“So I think when you go to these big moments, with this big decisions, semi-finals and finals, I don’t think it’s an advantage at all.
“In some countries, even the cup semi-final is played with a draw and you play at home or away, not a neutral ground like in England and that’s just football.
“So I look at this Tottenham game the same way I look at Huddersfield versus United or Brighton at Old Trafford.
‘Sometimes it is home, sometimes it is away. This time is away but I don’t see any advantage.’
Source: G Sport
