Manchester United hope Matteo Darmian will be fit for their clash with Chelsea but will again be without six injured and suspended players for Boxing Day's trip to Stoke.
Full-back Darmian has not featured since suffering a hamstring injury in the 3-2 loss to Wolfsburg with Guillermo Varela and Ashley Young deputising on the right of defence since then.
And while he will miss the game at the Britannia Stadium, manager Louis van Gaal believes the Italian could face the defending champions.
"I think Matteo Darmian shall come [back] next week and then maybe already against Chelsea. We have to see that," he told MUTV, although he will definitely have one player back for the game with Guus Hiddink's team.
Bastian Schweinsteiger will be eligible again for Monday's game against Chelsea but on Saturday serves the final match of the three-game ban he was given for elbowing Winston Reid in the 0-0 draw against West Ham.
United's injury problems eased when Wayne Rooney, Ander Herrera and Chris Smalling made their comebacks in the 2-1 defeat to Norwich.
And while Van Gaal has no one else back, he believes others who have been sidelined recently will be fitter now.
"For example, Phil Jones has played 90 minutes and had no reaction so that's a good signal," he added.
But midfielder Jesse Lingard came off after half an hour of the 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth and remains sidelined.
United remain without defender Marcos Rojo, who had surgery to his dislocated shoulder, plus Antonio Valencia, after a foot operation, and Luke Shaw, who has a broken leg.