Bailly out for three months

Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho has confirmed that he expects Eric Bailly to miss up to three months' worth of action as he requires surgery on an ankle injury.

"He goes to surgery, the decision is made," Mourinho said. "I don't say [he's out] for the rest of the season but it's for the next two or three months."

Bailly has missed eight straight games and last turned out for the 'Red Devils' in the 1-0 defeat to Chelsea on November 5.

However, the Portuguese insisted that he is happy with the options available to him at the back, despite Bailly's absence.

"I played [Chris] Smalling and [Phil] Jones and we had [Victor] Lindelof and [Daley] Blind on the bench. Marcos Rojo was injured [against Manchester City] but nothing really big," he explained.

"During the whole season, we've had problems with central defenders but, because the number is four or five, we manage always to have [players available].

"Chris Smalling is playing amazingly well for seven or eight matches in a row maybe, so we are fine."