Old Trafford welcomes the return of FA Cup football on Friday evening, as Manchester United host Ruud van Nistelrooy’s Leicester City under lights.
In what has become a familiar scenario in an arduous campaign, Ruben Amorim will ask his side for a reaction following a disappointing defeat to Crystal Palace.
Whatever about Premier League form, United have enjoyed an undefeated Europa League campaign and can draw plenty of ambition from their FA Cup third-round victory against Arsenal.
Amorim’s philosophy is evident, and while the timing of his arrival has presented a difficult task for the former Sporting supremo, he remains confident of achieving his goals in the North West.
As we approach the business end of the season, now is the time for these players to stand up and earn the shirts on their backs.
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New signings Patrick Dorgu and Ayden Heaven are available for selection following their January moves, but the boss has remained tight-lipped about the possibility of either lining out.
“We’ll see,” he told media. “You guys have to wait for tomorrow! But they are ready to play, and they are two more solutions to help us in this moment.”
However, Lisandro Martinez and Luke Shaw are unavailable due to injury, with Martinez enduring a cruciate-ligament issue against Palace at the weekend.
The club have confirmed an assessment of the injury is ongoing, as medical officials aim to determine the best course of action and a timescale for his rehabilitation.
“Licha is a difficult situation,” Amorim said at his pre-match press conference at Carrington. “He’s going to be out for a while.
“We don’t know the extent of the injury, but it’s an injury that is going to take time. Luke, just a little bit, one small issue in a different area from the last injury, so we’ll try to be careful with Luke.”
Jonny Evans and Mason Mount are unavailable as they complete rehabilitation following separate setbacks.
Manchester United hold a 2-1 FA Cup advantage against the Foxes. However, Leicester won the most recent encounter, with a 3-1 quarter-final triumph in 2020-21.
Despite the decline of domestic dominance at Old Trafford in recent years, the reigning champions have won 16 of their previous 18 home fixtures in the competition (drawing two) and last tasted defeat against the Gunners in March 2015.
Furthermore, the Reds have already beaten Van Nistelrooy’s side twice this season at Old Trafford. Ironically, the Dutchman was in the United dugout on both occasions.
Similarly to his imperious European record, Bruno Fernandes has played a part in 10 goal involvements during his previous 10 appearances (seven goals and three assists) and proved a crucial element during his side’s third-round victory in North London.
How do you see this FA Cup encounter playing out at 8:00 p.m. GMT on Friday?
Let us know in the comments or across our social channels.
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