Manchester United squad for Brighton fixture revealed as Alexis Sanchez returns

Manchester United have been handed a double boost ahead of their Premier League fixture against Brighton on Saturday afternoon.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is looking for his seventh straight win as United manager and will be hopeful of maintaining his 100 percent record with the latest team news.

Alexis Sanchez and Eric Bailly are back in contention to play the match having both missed the incredible victory away at Tottenham last weekend.

Bailly is available again after he served a three-match suspension for the red card he received in the 4-1 win over Bournemouth on December 30. Sanchez did not travel to London for the spirited victory over Spurs last week but returned to training on Wednesday and has been named in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer'sprovisional squad.

Paul Pogba and Nemanja Matic also reported at The Lowry Hotel with the rest of the squad after they did not participate in training on Wednesday. Matic, whose wife gave birth to a baby girl on Monday, and Pogba arrived at United's Carrington training complex on Thursday.

A number of United players were unaccounted for, including Fred, whose wife, Monique, gave birth to their firstborn son, Benjamin, on Wednesday. It is possible Fred could rendezvous with the United squad on Saturday. Ashley Young was also not spotted but has checked in at The Lowry separately in the past.

Marouane Fellaini is out for up to a month with a calf injury, while central defenders Chris Smalling (foot) and Marcos Rojo (shin) are still sidelined. Smalling has not played since the December 8 thrashing of Fulham and Rojo last appeared in the Champions League defeat to Valencia on December 12.

"There's not many issues," Solskjaer said of United's squad situation, "I think just small niggles, as there always is at this point of the season.

"Chris [Smalling], Marcos [Rojo] just started running lightly, so not fit yet. Alexis [Sanchez] has trained all week, so hopefully he'll be available.

"And Felli is the long-term one that's out. He'll be out for a few weeks. He'll probably be at least three or four weeks. He's got a calf problem and that's sad.

"There's X-factors in different players and we all know Felli's X-factor and then again he'll be working hard to get back in when all the big games are coming as well."

Fellaini's lay-off has all but ensured Scott McTominay will stay at United beyond the January transfer window. English and Scottish clubs had declared an interest in the 22-year-old midfielder, whose agent visited Carrington on Thursday.

"Scott is working hard," Solskjaer explained. "He's a young boy I still believe in. We're working on his contract, with the injuries of Felli as well and the squad we have I'm not sure we're going to see any movement."

When asked whether he expected any signings this month, Solskjaer reiterated: "No, not really."

Anthony Martial also arrived at The Lowry Hotel amid claims he was on the verge of signing a new five-year contract. It is understood that United and Martial's representatives are still in discussions and an agreement is yet to be reached.

Solskjaer has confirmed he will be moving out of The Lowry soon as he continues to settle back into Manchester life. Former United manager Jose Mourinho resided in The Lowry for the entirety of his two-and-a-half year tenure but Solskjaer is understood to have identified a city centre apartment to relocate to.

The Norwegian confirmed at his pre-match press conference it 'would not be too long' until he moves out of The Lowry Hotel.

"I love it to be fair," Solskjaer beamed of life in Manchester. "And I have to say I look forward to getting up in the morning to start work again. I always do when I work in football.

"Molde, Cardiff, I love working with people, trying to improve people and when you are here you just want to go to bed at night and get up in the morning again.

"I'm still in the hotel but I've found a place, so it won't be too long. I've been driving around a bit and finding my bearings again! I've got mates and friends here, so I've been to see a few of them. It's not like I'm on my own."

Sanchez missed the win at Tottenham last week due to injury but returned to training on Wednesday and is set to make the matchday squad against Brighton. The 30-year-old has only started one of Solskjaer's six matches but the Norwegian says Sanchez is 'champing at the bit' to play regularly again.

"A player loves to play football, doesn't matter who you are, you want to play football. Solskjaer added. "And he's been hindered by injury, and I know all about injuries and how frustrating that can be and how eager you are to get back.

"Maybe in the Reading game he should have told me at half-time, 'I need to come off now'. Because the 15 or 20 minutes he played in the second-half was too much for him, so that gave him a setback.

"But he's champing at the bit, I have to say, he's working hard in training. He's attitude has been fantastic in training and he wants to play. And I'm looking forward to seeing him, but I've got loads of good players to choose from."

Confirmed United squad members

David de Gea, Sergio Romero, Lee Grant, Diogo Dalot, Eric Bailly, Victor Lindelof, Phil Jones, Luke Shaw, Nemanja Matic, Andreas Pereira, Ander Herrera, Paul Pogba, Juan Mata, Jesse Lingard, Alexis Sanchez, Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford, Romelu Lukaku