Jose Mourinho warns Alexis Sanchez he will have to play for Manchester United on Sunday despite jetlag

Jose Mourinho is ready to pressgang late arrival Alexis Sánchez into playing against San Jose Earthquakes tomorrow on Sunday despite several of his young players making a confident start on Manchester United’s pre-season tour of America.

Sánchez was due to take part in a full training session with his team-mates in Los Angeles for the first time on Saturday, a little over 24 hours after catching a flight from Manchester to the west coast of America.

And Mourinho was adamant after the 1-1 draw against Club America in Phoenix that the Chile forward, who was initially denied a visa to enter the USA because of a conviction for tax fraud earlier this year, would have to be involved in the game this weekend because United are already missing too many senior players.

The absence of international stars such as Romelu Lukaku, Marcus Rashford and Jesse Lingard, has given the United party a youthful feel, something midfielder Ander Herrera feels is in keeping with the best traditions of the club.

Yet, Mourinho’s priority is to get the first team ready for the resumption of the Premier League on August 10, and one of the key objectives this summer, was to get the best out of Sánchez after a disappointing start to his United career following a high-profile move from Arsenal in January.

With that in mind, it is imperative that Sánchez gets as many minutes on the pitch as possible in pre-season, although Mourinho would be foolish to risk injuring the 29-year-old by asking too much of him after a long flight from Manchester.

“It is not about when he can [play], but when he has to,” said Mourinho after Juan Mata’s goal had rescued a draw against their Mexican opponents in Arizona.

“We have no players and especially in attack we have no players. Today was [Anthony] Martial and when Martial left the pitch, it was Mata and when Mata went to the sides, it was a kid [Mason Greenwood] and this was the first time he trained with us in this pre-season.

“No Lukaku, no Rashford, not here and probably not for the start of the Premier League. So, it is about when Alexis lands, and when he lands, he has to play because he trained with us for five days before we depart to LA. If he's coming, he has to play.”

The sight of Greenwood coming on to play against Club America was an exciting one, given he is only 16 and is training with the first team for the first time on this tour. Greenwood scored 17 goals in 17 appearances for the youth team last season, but few expected to see him break into the senior squad so quickly.

There was also an impressive cameo from 18-year-old Tahith Chong, with the young Dutchman, signed from Feyenoord two years ago, playing an important part in Mata’s goal. The likes of Demitri Mitchell, back from a loan spell at Hearts, Axel Tuanzebe, Angel Gomes also came off the bench in the opening game and Herrera was impressed.

“It’s been great to have them around and they are very good,” said Herrera. “They have been training fantastically.

“This club, one of the things I like the most, is that we give a lot of importance to the academy. We have in the first team important players like Marcus, Jesse, Scott, and Timmy and Axel are back, Pereira is back. Not every team in the Premier League can say the same.

“We are the biggest club in the Premier League, but we give a lot of importance to the academy and that is one of the things that I like the most about the club.

“Look at Chong, he was very good in the second half and to see Greenwood come on, a 16-year-old, he was playing against men and did not look out of place.”

Herrera, who wishes to open talks about extending his contract this season as soon as possible, is also backing his fellow Spaniard David De Gea to be unaffected by the criticism he received at the World Cup.

De Gea was given a rough ride by some during a disappointing tournament for Spain, but Herrera insisted there is not a mentally stronger player at the club.

“He is so, so strong,” said Herrera. “I remember when I was in Spain and he signed for this club, the first couple of months were hard for him and he became the best goalkeeper in the world in the next four years.

“I am very relaxed about him. We are very lucky to have him because he is the best in the world. I don’t care what the critics say. He is the best goalkeeper in the world, by far, and he will show it again.”