Manchester United will face Sunderland on Boxing Day

The Manchester United squad will train on the afternoon of Christmas Day this year, it has been confirmed.

Although it is traditional for professional football clubs to have their players train for around an hour on the morning of December 25, it is unusual for them to be in for an afternoon session.

Jose Mourinho will run the rule over his squad on the main pitch at Old Trafford as part of his preparations for the festive fixture period.

Mourinho's predecessor at the club, Louis van Gaal, gave the entire squad all of Christmas Day off last season, although they still lost their Boxing Day game, going down 2-0 at Stoke City.

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Sixth-placed United play Sunderland, managed by their former boss David Moyes, in this year's game on December 26 before a home game against Middlesbrough on New Year's Eve.

They then travel to West Ham on January 2 before an FA Cup third-round tie against Reading at Old Trafford on January 7.