Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has confirmed that there will be no fresh injury comebacks for their upcoming Premier League showdown against Manchester City.
The highly anticipated Manchester derby is set to take place at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, March 3. With both teams vying for crucial points in the league standings, the outcome of this clash could have significant implications, especially with Manchester City trailing just a point behind table-toppers Liverpool, while United sits eight points adrift of fourth-placed Aston Villa.
Ahead of the pivotal match, Ten Hag revealed that he anticipates no alterations to the United squad that secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup fifth round midweek.
This suggests that players like Rasmus Hojlund, Lisandro Martinez, Harry Maguire, Mason Mount, Luke Shaw, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Tyrell Malacia, and Anthony Martial will remain sidelined.
However, Ten Hag did provide positive news regarding Bruno Fernandes and Raphael Varane, both of whom had injury concerns ahead of the Forest fixture but managed to feature.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Ten Hag stated, “They fought to be part of it and they came through the game well. I think they will be available for Sunday as well. And for the rest, I don’t expect any players to return for Sunday, so we will proceed with the squad from yesterday.”
On the other side, Manchester City may have to contend with potential absences, with Jack Grealish sustaining a groin injury during their recent FA Cup tie. Additionally, Josko Gvardiol remains sidelined with an ankle ligament tear, casting doubt on his availability for the derby.
Despite these concerns, Pep Guardiola’s side boasts a mostly fit squad, buoyed by their commanding 6-2 victory over Luton Town in the FA Cup, wherein Erling Haaland starred with five goals, supported by Kevin De Bruyne’s four assists, and a goal from Mateo Kovacic.
