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Sure it's a grand life. Mike Egerton

Louis van Gaal sends Bastian Schweinsteiger on holiday 'to change his mindset'

The German has been sidelined for the last number of weeks.

MANCHESTER UNITED MANAGER Louis van Gaal was unable to give a definitive date for Bastian Schweinsteiger’s return from injury as he revealed the German has been sent on holiday.

The midfielder has not played since the FA Cup victory over Sheffield United in January and his return continues to be delayed.

It was initially thought he would be sidelined for a couple of weeks with the knee injury he sustained in the 1-0 win over the Blades but he’s now not expected to feature until the end of February.

“I cannot say Bastian is returning within two weeks because I have given him, more or less, a little holiday as he has to change his mindset also,” Van Gaal told MUTV this afternoon.

“It’s good for players. I have done that also with Antonio Valencia, Marcos Rojo and Luke Shaw, for example, when you are injured for longer than normal.”

The embattled United manager will be without a host of players for Saturday’s trip to Sunderland with Phil Jones, Adnan Januzaj and Guillermo Varela all picking up injuries during the club’s U21 win over Norwich last week.

“It’s not looking good because I also let my players play in the second team and various players were injured again.

“They’re not very nasty injuries but I still have to give them time to recover. It is a big pity because Jones is a very good central defender and we are missing him and also Marcos Rojo for a long time already.

“The light at the end of the tunnel is more for Rojo and for Valencia. They are coming back and I hope it’s as soon as possible.”

Van Gaal has confirmed striker Will Keane, who was recently recalled from a loan spell at Preston, will be part of the squad for the game at the Stadium of Light.

The 23-year-old scored five goals in the Reds’ 7-0 thrashing of Norwich in their recent U21 outing.

Victory for United tomorrow would close the gap on the Premier League top four with Arsenal, Leicester, Man City and Tottenham all in action on Sunday.

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