Manchester United: Louis van Gaal says Adnan Januzaj will not play for Under-21 side against Reading

Manchester United winger Adnan Januzaj will not play for the club's Under-21 ranks on Monday 11 January against Reading.

Januzaj, 20, returned to Old Trafford on 8 January after making just two starting appearances for Borussia Dortmund during a loan spell with the Bundesliga outfit.

Upon his return, manager Louis van Gaal said the Belgium international would start for the club's reserve ranks in order to build up his match fitness ahead of a return for to first team.

But the United boss now says that will no longer be the case, possibly opening the door for Januzaj to be named in his first-team squad for the Premier League trip to Newcastle United.

"We have reconsidered and we think we have to build him up for the game and not risk too much by putting him in a game at once," van Gaal said, United's official website reports.

Meanwhile, Bastian Schweinsteiger is unavailable for the match at St James' Park. The Germany international was left in agony after coming off the worse in a 50-50 challenge with Sheffield United's Chris Basham during the 1-1 draw on Saturday. A stretcher was brought on to the pitch but the Germany international was able to limp off to receive treatment, returning to finish the match with United having already used their three permitted substitutes.

"Bastian is injured, that we know," van Gaal told MUTV at the Aon Training Complex on Monday. "We have seen that because he could not move.

"In spite of playing more or less with 10-and-a-half men, we beat Sheffield United and we were very happy with that."