Harry Maguire has been ruled out of Manchester United’s FA Cup fifth round clash against Nottingham Forest on Wednesday.
Erik ten Hag revealed to the club’s media on Tuesday that the 30-year-old defender had joined a growing list of injured players and that he also has doubts over the fitness of Bruno Fernandes and Raphael Varane.
The news will come as another injury blow for Man United, after Luke Shaw suffered a recurrance of a leg muscle injury that could rule him out for the remainder of the season during their United’s 2-1 win against Luton.
While the Dutchman, was not willing to extrapolate on the nature of the injuries, he said: ‘We have some question marks in our squad. Harry Maguire will not be available. Bruno [Fernandes] is doubtful. Also Raphael Varane is doubtful.
‘We have to watch and see what we will have and then pick a team, with the aim of course [of winning]. It’s an FA Cup game, so it’s about win or lose. Black or white. We have to win and that should be our approach.’
He could look to Jonny Evans, Willy Kambwala and Vitor Lindelof to start in the absence of Maguire and Varane in the centre of defence.
United are also currently without Tyrell Malacia, Mason Mount, Lisandro Martinez, Anthony Martial and Rasmus Hojlund.
Maguire had previously spent time on the sidelines this season with a groin injury, before coming back to score in United’s 2-1 defeat by Fulham on Saturday.
The loss lumped more pressure on Ten Hag, whose position at the club has come under some scrutiny in recent months.
Claims have also been made that the club’s new minority owner, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, may ‘not be completely sold on Ten Hag,’ according to Manchester Evening News, despite the Dutchman claiming last week that Ratcliffe has affirmed his confidence in him.
Opta revealed an alarming statistic earlier on Tuesday that United have faced the joint most shots of any team in the Premier League so far this season. Opposition teams have in fact had 16 or more shots in a game on 14 separate occasions this season.
Despite that, prior to their defeat by Fulham on Saturday, United had not lost a game in their last seven matches and currently sit sixth in the Premier League, having won four league games on the bounce.
Victory in the FA Cup could be United’s last chance to claim silverware this season and a failure to beat Forest tomorrow night will put more pressure on Ten Hag.
‘We have to show [character]. I know we can be at our best in the moment, where we are in such a moment in adversity, and we are staying together,’ Ten Hag said.
‘I know the fans, we will be strong together. And we will go into that fight to win the game.’
‘So when we were in the last couple of games, you have a bench and that is always, for a manager, it’s tough to disappoint players.
‘Because there are players that can be starting eleven players. In the moment there are setbacks like injuries or loss of form, you need such players.
‘Also, for them, they can win their positions back.’
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