Paul Pogba faces a long time on the sidelines like Zlatan Ibrahimovic, according to Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho.

Jose Mourinho compared Paul Pogba’s injury lay-off to that of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, after confirming the France international is now a ‘long-term’ absentee for Manchester United.

Pogba has not featured for United since their 3-0 victory over Basel in the Champions League on September 12, hobbling off after 19 minutes at Old Trafford with a hamstring problem.

Updates on his condition have been scarce, but Mourinho confirmed on Friday that his star midfielder is not expected back any time soon.

‘He’s injured, he cannot play tomorrow,’ Mourinho told a media conference ahead of Saturday’s Premier League clash with Crystal Palace.

‘His injury is not one that I can have the hope, like I can have with [Antonio] Valencia or [Phil] Jones.

‘With them, I have the hope to see them training and to have a positive answer [on their availability].

‘But with long-term injuries, I don’t speak about them, so Ibra, Pogba, [Marcos] Rojo and these players, I don’t think about them.’

-This story originally appeared on FourFourTwo.co.za