Manchester United handed huge double fitness boost for Liverpool showdown on Sunday

Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho is hopeful Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Marcos Rojo can return against arch-rivals Liverpool on Sunday (15 January).

Rojo's United prospects have undergone a remarkable transformation over the last three months and is now one-half of Mourinho's first-choice centre-half pairing alongside Phil Jones. A muscular injury suffered in the FA Cup third round victory over Reading however put is participation in United's biggest game of the season this Sunday in real doubt.

The Argentina international missed the mid-week EFL Cup semi-final tie with Hull City, with Mourinho admitting post-match he still had doubts over whether Rojo would return in time for the visit of Jurgen Klopp's side.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic also missed the 2-0 win over Hull due to illness. But while he stopped short of confirming a return, Mourinho spoke positively of the duo coming back into his team as he addressed the media on Friday.

"I think so," the United boss said when asked if the pair would be fit. "I cannot confirm because there is two days left but they are closer to being ready than not ready."

United and Liverpool played out a dull 0-0 when they met at Anfield in October as Mourinho's side stifled Klopp's vibrant attacking options. Would the United boss take the same result again?

"I don't know," Jose said. "If Liverpool is better than us, if they have more shots than us, if they are closer to winning the match than us, then a point is good. If we are the better team, if we have more chances, if we dominate the game, if we deserve to win but don't, then a point is a bad result."

Sixth place United sit four places and five points behind Liverpool ahead of kick-off.