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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Tom Blow

Man Utd stars return to training with Paul Pogba in line to make first-team comeback

Manchester United players returned to training on Tuesday following the winter break.

The likes of Bruno Fernandes, Jadon Sancho and Cristiano Ronaldo were all back in the office ahead of the team's FA Cup tie against Middlesbrough on Friday.

And Paul Pogba looks set to return against the Championship side, after returning to full training following his injury issues.

United welcome 'Boro to Old Trafford, knowing a victory is needed to keep their best hope of winning silverware this season alive.

Ralf Rangnick's side are still in the Champions League but face a tough last 16 tie against La Liga champions Atletico Madrid.

And United's hopes of winning the Premier League this term were quashed weeks ago. They're currently fourth, 19 points behind champions and leaders Manchester City.

Can Manchester United beat Middlesbrough? Let us know in the comments below!

Ralf Rangnick welcomed his stars back to training on Tuesday morning after the winter break (@ManUtd/Twitter)

The Red Devils haven't played since their last-minute victory against top-four rivals West Ham on January 22 due to the Premier League's winter break.

No top-flight fixtures took place last weekend to allow the English game's biggest stars to rest and recover ahead of the business end of the campaign.

The likes of Harry Maguire, Marcus Rashford and Diogo Dalot were spotted jetting off to Dubai to catch some sun and prepare for the challenges ahead.

All three were back in training on Tuesday morning, alongside Pogba, who is hoping to play a major part in the coming months, which could be his final at the club due to his contract issues.

Pogba is expected to be included in the squad to face Middlesbrough, with interim manager Ralf Rangnick set to give an update on his fitness shortly and the Frenchman on schedule to return - just as his manager outlined at the start of the year.

"As far as I know, I was told a week ago, it would be a minimum of at least another four or five weeks before he is fit for training again," the German said on January 8.

"It’s one thing to be training fit but, on the other hand, he needs to be fit for the match and competition in either the Premier League or the Champions League."

Paul Pogba, sporting a new shorn haircut, was back in full training (Man Utd)

It's unclear whether Eric Bailly will be available following the Ivory Coast's exit from the Africa Cup of Nations at the hands of Egypt on January 26.

Additionally, Luke Shaw, Victor Lindelof and Aaron Wan-Bissaka were not pictured at training.

Sancho, meanwhile, was in action after missing United's last two Premier League games against Brentford and West Ham while on compassionate leave.

And Ronaldo is expected to be available for the Middlesbrough tie. He was pictured training with his son - Cristiano Jr - earlier this week.

Jadon Sancho is hoping to make his first appearance since the draw against Aston Villa last month (@ManUtd/Twitter)

Former United star Ben Thornley - who played under Middlesbrough manager Chris Wilder at Halifax Town in 2004 - is expecting a tough game.

"It is going to be a tricky tie, but it is one I would expect United to come through," he told the club's website.

"I think Middlesbrough will be looking to be a battering ram of a team, to see how much they can unsettle United. As long as we don’t take the tie lightly, we should get through.

"They will try and make it awkward and knowing Chris Wilder as I do, he will have that in his locker to do that.

"I would imagine he will be looking to get them really fired up to see how much they can unsettle United.

"But on the night, if United are tuned in, then the quality should come through."

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