Manchester United's Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku reacts as he leaves the pitch at the end of the English Premier League football match between Manchester United and Brighton and Hove Albion at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England, on November 25, 2017. / AFP PHOTO
Jose Mourinho will wait until the last minute before deciding whether Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku is fit to feature in Saturday’s FA Cup final against Chelsea.
Lukaku has missed United’s last three matches after suffering an ankle injury against Arsenal in April.
The Belgium striker is in a race against time to be fit for the Wembley showdown with his former club.
And United manager Mourinho, possibly hoping to keep Chelsea guessing, said on Friday that he remains uncertain if Lukaku will be available.
Mourinho will be able to call on French forward Anthony Martial, who has recovered from the knee injury he sustained in training.
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“Martial is fit. Lukaku we have to wait until the last moment. I don’t want to lie and say he doesn’t play or vice versa,” Mourinho told reporters at United’s hotel.
It would be a significant blow to United’s hopes of winning the FA Cup for a record-equalling 13th time if Lukaku is unable to pass his late fitness test.
Since Lukaku was sidelined, United have lacked a cutting edge and they scored only once in their last three games of the season.
The 25-year-old energised United with a goal spree at the start of the season after arriving from Everton in a £75 million ($101 million) deal.
Lukaku has scored 27 times for United in all competitions this season, making his first season at Old Trafford a success overall.
But he went through a sustained barren patch — with one goal in 12 games — after opposing defences began to sit deeper to stop the Belgian hurting them with his pace.
Mourinho was also forced to defend Lukaku from criticism by United fans frustrated at what they perceived as a lack of effort from their muscular forward.
Lukaku got back on track at the start of 2018, but had scored just once in his last five appearances before picking up the injury that leaves his Cup final hopes of a knife-edge.
Source: G Sport
