FA Cup final: Manchester United will wait until 'last moment' to decide if Romelu Lukaku is fit to play, says Jose Mourinho
The Belgian is struggling with an ankle injury suffered last month
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Your support makes all the difference.Jose Mourinho will wait “until the last moment” before deciding whether Romelu Lukaku can play for Manchester United in the FA Cup final against Chelsea at Wembley.
Lukaku has missed United’s last three games after suffering an ankle injury in the victory over Arsenal and remains a doubt for Saturday’s end-of-season showpiece.
Anthony Martial is available to play despite missing the Premier League victory over Watford last weekend but Mourinho is waiting for news on Lukaku.
“Martial is fit and Lukaku we have to wait until the last moment,” the United manager said at his pre-match press conference on Friday.
“I don’t want to lie to you and say he doesn’t play and then plays, so Lukaku we have to wait.”
United said farewell to club captain Michael Carrick against Watford and Mourinho confirmed that the midfielder would not add to his 464 club appearances on Saturday.
Carrick had been mooted for a place among the substitutes against Chelsea but the United manager ruled out that possibility.
Mourinho also dismissed suggestions that his excellent record in finals will matter when he comes up against Antonio Conte.
The Portuguese has won 12 of the 14 finals he has contested in his career, while Conte has never won a cup competition.
“I think the winning mentality doesn’t have to do with records or history in finals,” Mourinho said.
“Honestly I think what we did in the past has nothing to do with tomorrow and the records don’t play, what plays is tomorrow 11 against 11 and everybody trying to give their best.”
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