Paul Pogba will miss City derby after Manchester United decide against red card appeal

Paul Pogba will definitely be suspended for Manchester United's forthcoming Premier League derby clash with Manchester City after the club elected not to appeal against the red card he received during the recent 3-1 victory over Arsenal.

Pogba featured for 74 minutes of that pulsating encounter at the Emirates Stadium before being dismissed for a mistimed challenge on Hector Bellerin that saw him plant his studs on the back of the defender's knee.

The French international is reportedly insistent that the collision was accidental and it was rumoured that United could be tempted to contest the ban with such a pivotal domestic fixture coming up next weekend.

According to The Mail, United had until 13.00 GMT to submit an appeal to the Football Association (FA) and chose not to having also been aware that the punishment could have been extended if they deemed such an attempt to be frivolous.

Fears that Pogba could face a lengthier ban as the result of his sarcastic applauding of Andre Marriner following that red-card tackle also appear to have been without foundation after it was reportedly omitted from the referee's post-match findings, per the BBC.

Instead, the 24-year-old is set to serve a three-match suspension that will begin at City and also encompass league matches against Bournemouth and West Bromwich Albion.

United seem likely to also be without Marouane Fellaini, Eric Bailly and Michael Carrick against City, with none of that trio set to return from injury in the final Champions League Group A meeting with CSKA Moscow on Tuesday night.

Nemanja Matic may similarly be considered a doubt for the visit of Pep Guardiola's undefeated leaders to Old Trafford. The Serbian enforcer played all 90 minutes against Arsenal despite a muscular issue that forced him to limp out of last week's 4-2 victory at Watford and Mourinho has confirmed that he is carrying a genuine injury.

"We have problems, we have injuries," he said in a press conference held before the game against CSKA. "[Nemanja] Matic is injured and when I say he is injured, he is injured. I am not going to make him play tomorrow so Matic is out. A couple of others guys are playing every match and they also need a rest. More importantly, the others deserve an opportunity to play."

Zlatan Ibrahimovic was absent from the matchday squad at Arsenal and will play no part against CSKA as he continues to rebuild the strength in his knee following a lengthy lay-off.

However, it seems that both the veteran striker and centre-back Phil Jones could be in contention to face City, with the Mail reporting that the duo took part in training at Carrington on Monday afternoon.

"Zlatan needs sometimes hard work on the muscular area that supports the knee," Mourinho said. "And when the period for that hard work comes, also the fatigue comes. He was on this cycle of work, divided between the gym and the pitch. He will be out again tomorrow but I believe back to normal work after CSKA."