Casemiro and Noussair Mazraoui will return to the Manchester United starting lineup against Fulham for the FA Cup fifth-round tie at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Manchester United will aim to continue defending their crown and reach the FA Cup quarter-finals when they welcome Fulham for the fifth-round tie at Old Trafford on Sunday evening. Ruben Amorim has a new roster issue hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture.
Patrick Dorgu is the latest absentee after the Danish international saw red in the Premier League game against Ipswich Town earlier this week. In addition, Amorim has been sweating over Alejandro Garnacho’s fitness, although the Argentine international should be fit and available.
Dorgu has joined Altay Bayindir (unspecified), Jonny Evans (lower back), Lisandro Martinez (knee), Luke Shaw (calf), Kobbie Mainoo (muscle), Toby Collyer (knock), Mason Mount (thigh), and Amad Diallo (ankle) on the sidelines. Meanwhile, during his pre-match press conference, Amorim provided a fitness update on Garnacho and discussed any possible returnees.
The Manchester United manager said, “When he went to shoot, when it was blocked almost inside the box [against Ipswich]. He has a knock, I expect him to be ready but we will see, I have to wait until tomorrow. No, I think no one different is back. They are still trying to recover to help us in the next games.”
Amorim also answered questions about Garnacho’s conduct, choosing to make light of the situation. He said, “Yeah, he came to me. It was funny, the next day he came to my office. I did some investigation and he went to the dressing room [during Wednesday’s game] to change his clothes because he was wet.”
The Manchester United boss continued, “He watched the game in a different [place], not on the bench, and at the end of the game he went home so there’s not an issue there. But I told him that in Manchester United, everything is important and perception in every club is really important. So, he is going to pay a dinner to all the team and that is it.”
Garnacho will retain his spot in the starting lineup, joining Bruno Fernandes and Joshua Zirkzee in the final third. So, Rasmus Hojlund will drop to the bench. That change would lead to Casemiro returning to the starting lineup as Manuel Ugarte’s central midfield partner.
Meanwhile, Patrick Dorgu’s suspension means there is no looking past Noussair Mazraoui and Diogo Dalot as the two wing-backs. Leny Yoro, Harry Maguire, and Matthijs de Ligt pick themselves in the central defensive unit. Finally, Andre Onana will take his spot between the sticks.
Predicted Manchester United XI: Onana; Yoro, Maguire, de Ligt; Mazraoui, Ugarte, Casemiro, Dalot; Garnacho, Bruno Fernandes; Zirkzee
