Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag has delivered the all-important team news ahead of Saturday’s Emirates FA Cup final against neighbours City.
The Reds do battle with the Blues for the second year running in the showpiece event, hoping to avenge last term’s narrow 2-1 defeat.
The squad could be boosted by the potential return of three players – Victor Lindelof, Mason Mount and Anthony Martial – but centre-back Harry Maguire will be absent for the big 15:00 BST kick-off.
There is more training to come at Carrington before the Reds head south but Ten Hag was in a positive mood when speaking to the media in his pre-final press conference.
“Harry Maguire is unavailable but the rest, all the players you mentioned [Lindelof, Mount and Martial], they are – I think – available,” declared Erik. “We have, tomorrow, final training and then we have final decisions. But, as I oversee it now, it looks good.”
When asked if Maguire, who has been named in the England squad ahead of the European Championship, had suffered a setback in his bid to return, the manager replied: “I don’t think so. It’s just he doesn’t make it. It didn’t heal as we expected.”
United are still without left-backs Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia, meaning either Diogo Dalot or Aaron Wan-Bissaka look certain to start in the position.
However, there is now competition for places within the XI and the likelihood that the bench will be a strong one. One big decision for Ten Hag is whether he opts to start Denmark international Rasmus Hojlund, who has scored in both of his last two games off the bench, in attack.
“It’s all about trophies,” he said. “And we have a huge opportunity to win a trophy. The last 10 years, [there were] not many trophies in this club but we have an opportunity to win two trophies in two years.”
CITY’S TEAM NEWS
First-choice keeper Ederson has already been ruled out with a fractured eye socket, suffered in the recent win at Tottenham, but Stefan Ortega has been starting throughout the cup run, in any case.
The Blues appear to have no other fitness issues going into the final, with Pep Guardiola able to choose from his entire outfield roster. There are some decisions to be made over who starts, with Jeremy Doku in the XI for the final-day victory over West Ham United, as Jack Grealish and Mateo Kovacic are among the alternatives.
Nathan Ake and John Stones are also pushing for a place in the backline.
