Manchester United boss, Jose Mourinho spoke to reporters ahead of United's Europa League clash against Fernabache in Turkey.
Eric Bailly, Chris Smalling and Antonio Valencia were not expected to travel alongside other players for the clash due to injuries.
However, England international, Phil Jones who has been injured for a very long time was named on the 21-man squad that flew out to Istanbul on Wednesday for the Europa League game.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference in Istanbul, United manager Mourinho was asked to provide an update on the player’s fitness and potential return to the pitch.
“Well, I almost don't remember when Phil Jones had a good run of matches for United,” Jose told reporters.
“I don't remember. I remember when I was at Real Madrid, I played against United and Phil Jones played in Madrid, but I don't remember too many occasions after that.
“He's having a difficult relationship with injuries and it's been difficult this season for him, but he worked hard to recover and he's been training with the team for more than a week now, Mourinho said of the 24-year old.
“We're in a difficult situation because we lost three defenders in a week; [Antonio] Valencia, [Eric] Bailly and [Chris] Smalling.
Because of this difficult situation, we don't have more time to be in better conditions. We have to select him and maybe we have to play him.
On Antonio Valencia who recently had a surgery on an arm injury he sustained during last week's EFL Cup tie against Manchester City, the Special One added;
''Valencia is a bad injury, yes,” the manager “It's an important fracture in his arm and an important surgery too, so he'll be out for a while.”
Encouragingly, Valencia has vowed to come back stronger from his injury in an Instagram video that he posted to his 750,000 followers on Sunday night.
“Now thinking only in recovery,” he said. "I want to come back soon and help my team. I'll come back stronger and always optimistic.”
Mourinho heaped praise on Italian full back Matteo Darmian for the way he performed against Burnley in Valencia’s absence and expressed his confidence in the former Fiorentina player.
“The good thing is that even when Antonio was playing very well, we were preparing Darmian and he was having matches,” Jose said on Wednesday.
“He was playing against Feyenoord, Zorya Luhansk and Fenerbahce and he was having minutes to develop himself.
“In the last match we had to play Darmian for the first time in the Premier League and he was ready. He played really well against Burnley.
''We trust him totally and he is obviously ready to play tomorrow to give continuity to the good work our right-backs are doing in both competitions.”
Manchester United will be hoping to start the month of November with a win in the Europa League, having failed to win a single game in the Premier League in October.
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