Antonio Valencia in Line to Return for Man United After Missing Last 6 Games
Manchester United right back Antonio Valencia has been tipped to return to action in the Premier League clash with Stoke City at Old Trafford on Monday after missing the last six games across all competitions due to a hamstring injury.
Valencia, who has captained United for much of the season, hasn't played since 17th December when he was withdrawn 66 minutes into the 2-1 away win over West Brom.
The 32-year-old Ecuadorian international has traveled with the rest of the squad for a warm weather training camp in Dubai this week, though, and a report from the Daily Telegraph lists him as being available once more.
A £16m signing from Wigan in the summer of 2009, Valencia has been a loyal and reliable servant to the club over the last eight-and-a-half years.
He made his 300th United appearance in October and is one of less than 60 total players in the club's entire 140 year history to have reached that impressive milestone of games.
Victor Lindelof and Ashley Young have both filled in at right-back in recent weeks, but Valencia's expected return will come as a huge boost to team-mates, staff and fans.
Manager Jose Mourinho has enjoyed the opportunity of an extended break between games, with the trip to Dubai about tactical work as much as rest or anything else.
"We need to recover but at the same time we also need to train because during this crazy time we have not had many times to work on details that you want to work on," the boss explained to MUTV this week.
"It's been more about the recovery from the match and the traveling and the preparations for the next one without time to work.
"If we can have time to have a good, nice week to recover some injured players and tired players and, at the same time, work on some tactical details I think it would be good for the second part of the season."
