Man Utd Duo Set to Miss Boxing Day Encounter With High Flying Burnley

Manchester United pair Matteo Darmian and Chris Smalling look set to miss their side's Boxing Day encounter with Burnley, as the Red Devils host the Clarets at Old Trafford, hunting for three points.

As a result of injuries, Jose Mourinho is already having to make do without the likes of Antonio Valencia, Marouane Fellaini, Michael Carrick and Eric Bailly for their upcoming match with Sean Dyche's men; and it appears that Chris Smalling is to be added to that list.

According to Manchester Evening News (via Metro), Smalling, along with United outcast Matteo Darmian was not spotted with the rest of the squad outside the Lowry Hotel on Monday morning - alluding to the fact that neither will play a part in the club's game.

Smalling played the full 90 minutes in his side's 2-2 draw against Leicester City on the weekend. Despite picking up an injury during the match, the England international was forced to continue, with Mourinho having already made all of his available substitutions already.

Michael Regan/GettyImages

As for Darmian, the full-back looks set to miss out on his fifth Premier League match in a row, as the out-of-favour Italian looks increasingly likely to leave Old Trafford during the upcoming January transfer window.

As well as the two previously mentioned players, Luke Shaw, Anthony Martial, Victor Lindelof, Paul Pogba, Axel Tuanzebe and Scott McTominay were not spotted at the hotel on Tuesday morning either; though it is expected that they will all play a part in the match against Burnley.

The Clarets come into this game two points away from sixth and fifth placed Arsenal and Tottenham, and a European spot is in reach for Sean Dyche's men.