Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba will miss Saturday’s FA Cup fifth round encounter with fellow Premier League side Huddersfield Town due to illness, the club announced.

United manager Jose Mourinho had said in his pre-match news conference that the French international would return to the side after a poor run of form in the past few weeks.

However, the club said on Saturday that their record signing would not play a part in the game at the John Smith’s Stadium with midfielder Ethan Hamilton, an academy trainee, taking his place in the squad.

Pogba, 24, was substituted in the 2-0 Premier League defeat at Tottenham Hotspur and was on the bench against Huddersfield Town in the next game. He was hauled off again in the 1-0 defeat by Newcastle United last weekend.

British media reports have said that Pogba is unhappy with his role at the club but Mourinho shot down talk of friction with the player on Friday, stating that speculation of a rift was a “big lie”.

Pogba has made nine assists and scored three goals in 17 league matches this season. He has five more starts in European and domestic cup competitions but has not hit top form in an injury-hit campaign.