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Jose Mourinho Gives Injury Updates on Popular Man Utd Duo Ander Herrera & Juan Mata

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​Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has named the upcoming friendly against Valerenga in Norway as the game that should see injured Spanish pair Juan Mata and Ander Herrera return to action, meaning both are set to miss Wednesday's clash with Barcelona.

The game against Barça in Landover (Washington D.C.) is United's final tour game in America.

Mata hasn't been seen since picking up a knock after being on the receiving end of a heavy challenge from Real Salt Lake's Sebastian Saucedo - an unsavoury incident that saw Antonio Valencia later dish out his own form of retribution on the American.

Mata returned to training earlier this week but won't be risked any sooner than Sunday in Oslo.

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Herrera, meanwhile, was clattered by Real Madrid's Oscar just minutes after coming on as a half-time substitute in the friendly against the European champions in Santa Clara last weekend.

"They cannot play [against Barcelona] but I think they will recover in time to be integrated with the team when we go back to work next Saturday," Mourinho told MUTV.

"They will probably play on Sunday [against Valerenga]."

Herrera is set for another big season as a United player after 2016/17 was his best campaign since joining the club from Athletic Bilbao in 2014. He will also be free of the burden of being captain, with Paul Pogba and Valencia Mourinho's choices as understudy to Michael Carrick.

Mata goes into his fourth full season as a United player as one of the most experienced and senior players in the squad. He's scored 10 goals in each full season to date and fans will be hoping for even more from the popular Spaniard over the next 10 months.