Chris Smalling and Phil Jones still have Manchester United futures, manager Jose Mourinho said yesterday, despite his reservations about their refusal to play through the pain barrier.
Mourinho had called on the England internationals to "be brave" and make themselves available for Thursday's derby match with Manchester City but confirmed on Wednesday that neither will be ready.
In March, while on worldwide break with England, Jones collided in training with Chris Smalling, and neither have played since.
"Of course they have".
"We go with what we have, we fight with what we have, I trust the boys and we go with everything we have until the last second of the season".
"It's not just about them", he said. It's about the philosophy and mentality around them. Cautious. Cautious. Cautious. Just a cautious approach. It's a profile. It's the philosophy of work.
Three straight wins in the Premier League - including the 2-0 defeat of Chelsea - have brought United just one point behind their Sky Blue neighbours ahead of Friday morning's derby.
Jones is just one of a host of Manchester United players sideiined for the derby against Manchester City at the Etihad on Thursday (8pm) after being seen leaving Carrington before his team-mates arrived for training.
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Paul Pogba has also been ruled out by manager Mourinho while Marcos Rojo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic will not feature any more this season, with Daley Blind and Marcus Rashford likely to step in as replacements.
He said: "I think maybe opponents they look at us with different eyes because we don't have Zlatan and Paul and Marcos and Mata and Jones and Smalling".
It is all hands to the pump as United aim to add to the Community Shield and EFL Cup by also winning the Europa League and securing a top-four finish.
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho before the match with Sunderland match in the Stadium of Light, Sunderland April 9, 2017. Asked to define the "philosophy", he replied: "Cautious". We have Bailly playing well, really well.
He added: "I think so".
A win would move Mourinho's side into that final Champions League spot at the expense of City.
The Spain worldwide was forced off after just 23 minutes of Sunday's FA Cup semi-final loss to Arsenal with a hamstring injury, having been hit hard by tackle from Gabriel moments earlier. "I don't know", he said.
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