Manchester United vs Benfica: Jose Mourinho missing injured quintet for Champions League tie

Manchester United remain without any of their five injured players for the Champions League visit of Benfica after manager Jose Mourinho confirmed he will have an unchanged squad for the game at Old Trafford.

Paul Pogba (hamstring), Marcos Rojo (knee), Marouane Fellaini (knee), Michael Carrick (illness) and Zlatan Ibrahimovic (knee) are all unavailable, with Mourinho unable to offer any positive update regarding the quintet.

The two-time European Cup winner stated he has "no idea" when Pogba can be expected to return after missing the last 10 games, but Argentina defender Rojo will be back in contention after November's international break after returning to training.

"I think it is the same [as for Tottenham Hotspur]," Mourinho said of the make-up of his squad for the game on Tuesday (31 October), according to the Manchester Evening News.

"We have one more training session to confirm but with the best scenario, same players we had at the weekend."

Mourinho has once again come out in support of striker Romelu Lukaku after the Belgium hitman, who has not scored in his last five games, was jeered by United fans during the 1-0 win over Tottenham.

United fans vented their frustration at Lukaku's display when they booed the withdrawal of Marcus Rashford, with eventual match-winner Anthony Martial coming on in his place. Mourinho had stated he was "disappointed" by the reaction from fans and he remains faithful to his summer signing.

"The fans are the fans and I also told that the fans paid their ticket, they are free to express themselves the way they want to express, but my job is to protect my players and I think Romelu is one of the players that should be untouchable in terms of the respect from everyone. It's not one goal or one ball that hit the post or one that can make Romelu contribution below the top level," he added.

"He's playing extremely well for us and I have to protect my players when I feel they deserve it and Romelu always deserves it because what he does for the team is fantastic, and playing football for a striker is not just about scoring goals. So untouchable in my team and also in the support and respect he deserves from the fans."

Nevertheless, Mourinho could use Lukaku's barren run of form and the upcoming Premier League trip to Chelsea as an opportunity to rest the 24-year-old and deploy Rashford and Martial together from the start. The pair began the Carabao Cup win at Swansea City and Mourinho is open to repeating the selection.

"We played Martial and Rashford together one week ago so they can play together," stated Mourinho. "What you can't do is play with 12. So we can repeat against Benfica or we can repeat against any other match. Nobody here thinks about any other match than Benfica. Nobody here thinks about Chelsea."