The Manchester United boss has suggested two of his star players are nearing returns and is predicting his side will improve over the winter months

Jose Mourinho believes Manchester United will go into the Christmas period in a "strong position" because Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Paul Pogba and several other injured players are almost ready to return.

United have not had much luck with injuries this season, with Pogba, Michael Carrick and Marcos Rojo among most seriously affected, while other key players have had spells on the sidelines.

They have also been without Ibrahimovic, who suffered a serious knee ligament injury in April and has been absent ever since.

Despite that, United have managed to enjoy a decent start to the season, as they occupy second in the Premier League and have a 100 per cent record from four Champions League group games.

Sunday's 1-0 defeat to Chelsea left United trailing runaway leaders Manchester City by eight points, but Mourinho is adamant that his team will soon be in a much stronger position in terms of personnel, just in time for the hectic Christmas schedule.

"We have the group of players which are the ones that we hope will recover as soon as possible," Mourinho told MUTV.

"They have to work every day but they are in a good position now. Pogba, Ibra [Ibrahimovic], Rojo, [Marouane] Fellaini - they are in good positions, so I think we can go into this part of the season, the Christmas period, and after, in a strong position."

United are not in action again until November 18 due to the international break and, while many of their players will be heading off to join up with their national teams, Ander Herrera and Chris Smalling have been rewarded with a week off.

"The international break means the majority of the players fly now from London to their countries," Mourinho said.

"They all disappear and then we have a couple who aren't selected for their national team, like [Chris] Smalling and [Ander] Herrera and they really deserve, after so many matches, to have a week off which I'm going to give them."

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