Alexis Sanchez posts selfies as he returns to Manchester United training

Alexis Sanchez returned to  Manchester United’s Carrington training ground on Saturday.

The Chilean has been missing since the Red Devils’ disappointing 0-0 draw against Crystal Palace with a hamstring injury, which Jose Mourinho had previously confirmed would keep him out until the new year .

While Sanchez is not expected to have recovered in time for the festive Premier League fixtures, his return to individual training will be a boost for new manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

The 30-year-old took to social media to show fans he was back training, with three posts on his official Instagram account .

After a short video which showed Sanchez driving into the training ground, he posted two pictures of him working alone in the gym.

It has been a frustrating 2018 for Sanchez, since his extremely high-profile move from Arsenal in January. At Old Trafford he has failed to live up the same standards that he set for himself during his time in North London, where he once registered 24 league goals in a single season.

However, since joining the Red Devils he has netted just four times in 30 games and found himself left out of the squad altogether earlier in the campaign.

This is the first time that Sanchez has returned to training since Mourinho’s sacking on Tuesday and Solskjaer’s appointment 24 hours later.

The Norwegian and his United squad were not at Carrington to welcome Sanchez back, as they have travelled to Cardiff for Solskjaer’s much-anticipated first match in charge of United.

To raise the stakes even more, the former Red Devils striker comes up against his former side on Saturday evening. Solskjaer managed the Bluebirds for nine months in 2014, before eventually being sacked after a 1-0 defeat against Middlesbrough.

United also know they must win tonight if they are to keep applying pressure on the ‘top-six’ rivals. Ahead of this weekend’s fixtures they trailed fourth-place Chelsea by 11 points, and must begin to reduce that deficit if they are to have any hope of qualifying for the Champions League next season.