Marcos Rojo and Luke Shaw travel to Lisbon for Benfica vs Manchester United clash

Manchester United duo Luke Shaw and Marcos Rojo were both pictured among the club's travelling squad for Wednesday's (18 September) Champions League clash with Benfica.

Shaw, 22, has struggled to hold down a first-team role under Jose Mourinho with an injury curtailing a brief run in the starting XI last May.

The former Southampton starlet is fit once again but has managed just one appearance for the first-team this season, coming off the bench in the Carabao Cup third round victory over Burton Albion.

Shaw played 90 minutes for the club's Under-23 side against West Ham United on Sunday.

Rojo meanwhile has not featured since April when he suffered a season-ending cruciate ligament injury which required him to undergo surgery. During the summer, Mourinho suggested December as a possible return date for the Argentina international, although his return to first-team training in August would suggest he is ahead of schedule.

Both players were part of the group that jetted out to Portugal on Monday evening and while their inclusion bodes well for both players' long-term fitness, it is unlikely either will feature against the Portuguese giants given their lack of recent game time.

Midfielder Michael Carrick was not pictured among the travelling party having missed United's last three matches through injury and is not expected to be involved on Wednesday night. The Premier League side also remain without two other midfield options in Paul Pogba and Marouane Fellaini, who continue to recover from respective hamstring and medial ligament injuries.

United have taken six points from their opening two games of the Champions League group stage, scoring seven goals along the way having put both FC Basel and CSKA Moscow to the sword. An away trip to Benfica would have been seen as many as they sternest test when the draw was made back in September, but the Portuguese giants currently sit bottom of Group A having lost both of their opening matches, including a 5-0 defeat to Basel last time out.