Manchester United receive quadruple injury boost as quartet train ahead of Tottenham visit

Manchester United look set to be handed a quadruple fitness boost for Saturday's (28 October) clash with title rivals Tottenham Hotspur, with Eric Bailly, Phil Jones, Ander Herrera and Marcus Rashford all training in advance of that eagerly anticipated heavyweight Premier League showdown at Old Trafford.

Bailly has been sidelined for three weeks as the result of a groin strain sustained while on international duty with the Ivory Coast, missing matches against Liverpool, Benfica and Huddersfield Town.

The 23-year-old remained absent for Tuesday night's Carabao Cup victory over Swansea City, although Mourinho previously stated that he expected him to return to action this week.

Likewise fellow centre-back Jones, who limped out of that shock defeat to newly-promoted Huddersfield with the score at 0-0 and remained an unused substitute in South Wales.

He was also left on the bench against Benfica due to a knock suffered on England duty that did not prevent him from starting at Anfield.

Herrera and Rashford were both replaced at the same time by Mourinho at Swansea, with one sustaining an ankle knock in a challenge with Kyle Naughton and the other feeling tightness in his hamstring.

The duo were expected to be assessed before the visit of Tottenham, although, as confirmed by United's official website, both trained alongside Bailly and Jones at Carrington on Thursday.

However, there was no sign of Marcos Rojo, Michael Carrick, Marouane Fellaini, Paul Pogba or Zlatan Ibrahimovic at the Aon Training Complex after Mourinho claimed he harboured no fresh hopes that any of that crop would be in contention to face Spurs.

The manager stated last week that Rojo was around a fortnight away from being ready to return from significant knee ligament damage sustained during the Europa League quarter-final second-leg win over Anderlecht in April, while he also has "a feeling" that re-signed striker Ibrahimovic will be back before the end of 2017.

Mourinho is unsure when midfield trio Fellaini (knee), Carrick (groin) and Pogba (hamstring) will be in a position to make their respective comebacks, although it was reported yesterday that the latter could possibly play in United's final fixture before the next international break against Chelsea on Bonfire Night. The home match against Newcastle United on 18 November is considered a more sensible option, however.

Tottenham have their own injury worries to contend with before the weekend, with prolific striker Harry Kane supposedly struggling to be fit despite being rested for the shock cup derby defeat to West Ham United in which Mauricio Pochettino's side inexplicably threw away a two-goal lead in the second half.

Midfielder Victor Wanyama has sought specialist advice on a knee injury that has kept him out since August, while it remains to be seen exactly when Argentine winger Erik Lamela will make his first Spurs appearance in over a year.