Manchester United hope to have their first choice defensive partnership back for the FA Cup final showdown with Manchester City on this afternoon.
After clinching the Premier League on the final day on Sunday, Pep Guardiola’s side are chasing a double as United look to salvage what has been a miserable campaign at Old Trafford.
United have been blighted by problems at the back and while some of their regulars are fit once again, there will be one major absentee for their trip to Wembley.
Man Utd injury and team news
Lisandro Martinez played the full 90 minutes in the 2-0 win over Brighton with Raphael Varane also making his return off the bench having been sidelined since early April with a muscle injury.
Martinez and Varane have not started a game together since February and in what will be the Frenchman’s final game for United ahead of his exit, they could have one last dance together.
Harry Maguire however has been ruled out having not recovered in time from a muscle injury that has kept him sidelined since the end of April. Luke Shaw, who suffered a minor setback earlier this month, also remains sidelined with the left-back also a major doubt for England’s Euro 2024 campaign.
Mason Mount meanwhile has not featured in the squad since suffering yet another injury in the lead up to this month’s game against Arsenal but was pictured back in training this week alongside Anthony Martial and Victor Lindelof.
Rasmus Hojlund has started United’s last two games from the bench, with ten Hag shifting to a 4-2-2-2 formation which has seen Bruno Fernandes operating as a false nine.
The tactical shift saw United win back-to-back games in the league for the first time since February but Hojlund has certainly made his case to return to the side with goals off the bench against Newcastle and Brighton.
Man City injury and team news
City meanwhile will be without Ederson who suffered a fractured eye socket in last week’s game against Tottenham.
Stefan Ortega, who made that crucial late save in north London after replacing the Brazilian, has remained Guardiola’s first-choice goalkeeper in the FA Cup, having started last year’s final and every round of this year’s competition and would have likely kept his place regardless.
The league champions have a relatively clean bill of health elsewhere. Jack Grealish was back in the squad on the final day against West Ham United as an unused substitute with Nathan Ake making his return off the bench that day.
Phil Foden, who scored twice to effectively seal the title on Sunday has scored six goals in his last five games United.
Man City predicted XI vs Man Utd: Ortega, Walker, Dias, Stones, Gvardiol, Rodri, Bernardo, De Bruyne, Foden, Doku, Haaland
Man Utd predicted XI vs Man City: Onana, Dalot, Varane, Martinez, Wan-Bissaka, Amrabat, Mainoo, Garnacho, Diallo, McTominay, Fernandes
Man City vs Man Utd kick off time and TV channel
The FA Cup final kicks off at 3pm BST on Saturday 25 May.
The match will be broadcast live on both BBC one and ITV1 with live streaming through BBC iPlayer and ITVX.
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