West Brom vs. Manchester United: Jose Mourinho's Key Pre-Match Presser Comments

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has insisted it is "impossible" to drop Zlatan Ibrahimovic at the moment, although he's admitted to looking at when he can give the striker a break in the future. 

The Red Devils boss was speaking to the press on Friday ahead of Saturday's Premier League showdown with an in-form West Bromwich Albion team, and he was asked about the remarkable impact of the 35-year-old forward.

"It is impossible [to drop him]," Mourinho said of the former Sweden international, per Ben Burrows and Liam Prenderville of the Daily Mirror. "But tomorrow is a last effort then they will have a week without football. That week is a week they will need, especially a guy like him."

Per Simon Peach of the Press Association, the United manager continued to praise Ibrahimovic and announced he would feature at the Hawthorns on Saturday:

However, as noted by Simon Stone of BBC Sport, Mourinho conceded the striker will need to come out of the firing line at some stage:

Mourinho also hailed the impact Ibrahimovic has had on the rest of the United squad, particularly the young players, per the club's official Twitter feed:

Ibrahimovic showed his worth to the United cause with a brilliant late winner against Crystal Palace on Wednesday, tucking home from an acute angle to secure a 2-1 win. Once again, the burly forward showcased his strength on the ball, intelligent movement and ruthless finishing in the game; he's now on nine Premier League goals for the campaign.

While it's been a positive week for United after wins over Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace, Mourinho did have some bad news on the injury front. Although Chris Smalling is ready to return, the manager noted the match will come too quickly for the stricken Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Eric Bailly:

As noted by Burrows, both Memphis Depay and Morgan Schneiderlin could be set to trade Manchester for Merseyside in January, with Everton linked with the out-of-favour duo.

Mourinho was asked if there are any plans to bring in new faces in the midseason window, and he suggested that as things stand, there is no great urgency on his part to do so:

"

I am quiet and calm. We will see what happens. I would like to keep my squad the same. I never stop people to try to be happy and from getting a different direction. If that moment arrives in January we have to react. Let's see what happens. Are we chasing some player for January 1? Not at all.

"

For the time being, the United boss will be focused on a crucial spell of the season that will ultimately determine their ambitions for the end of the campaign. Mourinho spoke of how important it is to keep momentum up during this congested spell:

Mourinho's opposite number on Saturday, Tony Pulis, has done a tremendous job so far this season, steering the team to seventh place. It's well known the duo are on good terms, and Mourinho suggested the Baggies boss, plus some other British managers, deserve more credit.

"If you manage big teams, you have targets impossible for Pulis, [Alan] Pardew, [Mark] Hughes, [David] Moyes," said the Portuguese. "British managers are not looked at like they should."

Michael Regan/Getty Images

Although neither manager has fashioned a reputation for playing particularly entertaining football, the meeting between United and West Brom should be fascinating at the very least. Indeed, the home side have won their last three home games, scoring an impressive 10 goals in the process.

This will be a big test of United's mini-revival, as West Brom have an attacking edge and a clear identity, something that Palace showcased little of in midweek. Three points here and United will go into Christmas looking up rather than over their shoulder.