Anthony Martial and Jadon Sancho will return to action when Manchester United and Nottingham Forest meet at Old Trafford.
Manchester United will aim to reach the Carabao Cup final when they welcome Nottingham Forest to Old Trafford on Wednesday night in the semi-final second leg. And Erik ten Hag has a new injury concern hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture.
Christian Eriksen is sidelined for the next three months due to an ankle injury. The Dane picked up the issue following a horrific tackle from Andy Carroll in the FA Cup clash with Reading. Eriksen has joined Diogo Dalot (hamstring), Scott McTominay (muscle injury) and Donny van de Beek (knee) in the treatment room.
But there is some good news, as Anthony Martial and Jadon Sancho have regained enough fitness to be available for the Carabao Cup fixture. And ten Hag has suggested in his pre-match press conference that the duo will return to action on Wednesday.
The Manchester United manager said, “We have some issues. I think tomorrow that Anthony Martial and Jadon Sancho will return in the game squad, but Scott McTominay will still be absent. I think also the next game [against Crystal Palace] he will be absent. We have to see how that process will go. And for the rest, I think everyone is fit.”
Erik ten Hag also spoke about Eriksen’s injury during his presser. The Dutchman said, “Of course, he is disappointed about it, we are disappointed about it. It happens in top football, you have to deal with it.”
Marcel Sabitzer has joined on loan from Bayern Munich to hand ten Hag some reprieve. But the Austrian midfielder will unlikely start against Nottingham Forest after arriving late on deadline day. So Fred and Casemiro pick themselves in the double pivot in the middle of the park.
Meanwhile, ten Hag will likely rotate his troops on Wednesday. So Alejandro Garnacho and Facundo Pellistri should start as the wide attackers. Wout Weghorst should spearhead the attack, with Bruno Fernandes playing behind him. But Martial and Sancho should feature off the bench on Wednesday.
As for the defensive unit, Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez should form the central defensive partnership. Meanwhile, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Tyrell Malacia pick themselves as the full-backs. Finally, Tom Heaton will make a rare appearance, featuring between the sticks in place of David de Gea.
Predicted Manchester United XI: Heaton; Wan-Bissaka, Varane, Martinez, Malacia; Casemiro, Fred; Pellistri, Bruno Fernandes, Garnacho; Weghorst