Henrikh Mkhitaryan returns for Manchester United trip to FC Rostov but Wayne Rooney misses out

Manchester United star Henrikh Mkhitaryan could return to action in the trip to FC Rostov on Thursday evening (9 March) following his absence from the last two games due to a hamstring injury. However, Wayne Rooney, Luke Shaw, Bastian Schweinsteiger and suspended Eric Bailly will miss the first leg of the Europe League last 16 after been left out of Jose Mourino's 20-man travelling squad.

Mkhitaryan is yet to play a game for the Red Devils since the last Europe League encounter with Saint Etienne on 22 February, being forced off and replaced by Marcus Rashford only minutes after scoring a goal.

The Armenian missed the following encounters with Southampton [and Bournemouth, and last week Mourinho suggested that he won't return until the FA Cup quarter-final with Chelsea.

"He didn't recover in time for this [Bournemouth] game. I believe, during the next week, especially for the weekend [ahead of the trip to Stamford Bridge], he will be fine and we don't have major problems," Mourinho said about Mkhitaryan before the 1-1 draw with Bournemouth.

But the former Borussia Dortmund playmaker has shaken off his problems and will be ready to help his side at Rostov. Mourinho will also have Zlatan Ibrahimovic available. Earlier in the week United's top-scorer was charged with violent conduct by The Football Association (FA) for clashing with Tyrone Mings during the weekend draw against Bournemouth.

However, the Portuguese boss has left both Rooney and Shaw at home after both England internationals made his starting line-up at the weekend.

Meanwhile, the first leg of the Europe League last 16 will come too early for Schweinsteiger after the German international already missed the encounter with Bournemouth due to a minor injury. Furthermore, Bailly won't travel to Russia either as he was sent off during the previous encounter with Saint-Etienne.