Manchester United ’s FA Cup campaign begins with a Third Round tie at home to fellow Premier League side Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Monday night.
The Red Devils have won the competition 12 times in their history, although their last triumph came back in 2016, and they will have high ambitions of equalling Arsenal ’s record of 13 this campaign.
A tough test can be expected in the form of Steven Gerrard ’s Aston Villa, and so Ralf Rangnick may opt for a relatively strong squad to take on the Midlands club.
However, United could be without up to seven first team players for the tie, meaning Rangnick may be forced into some squad rotation before a ball has even been kicked.
Here is all you need to know about the current state of play at Old Trafford, as well as the potential return dates for those out injured.
Do Man Utd have the squad depth to go far in this competition? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
Harry Maguire
Captain Harry Maguire sustained an abdominal injury during the 3-1 victory at home to Burnley on December 30, yet managed to play the remainder of the game.
However, the injury then forced him out of Monday’s 1-0 home defeat to Wolves, yet there is hope that Maguire may be able to return for the FA Cup clash with Villa.
Prior to the Wolves game, Rangick said: "Harry received that kind of injury that he could play all throughout the [Burnley] game. But he had problems after. Until yesterday, we were hopeful of him being able to play."
Victor Lindelof
Swedish centre back Victor Lindelof has been out of action since featuring in the 1-0 victory away to Norwich City on December 11, after returning a positive Covid-19 test not long after.
It was hoped that Lindelof would feature against Wolves on Monday, although it is more likely he will be involved once again for United’s upcoming FA Cup fixture.
Speaking ahead of the Wolves defeat, Rangnick said: "Victor was still positive, so it was clear since yesterday morning that he would be out."
Paul Pogba
Midfielder Paul Pogba continues to recover from a thigh injury he sustained on international duty with France back in November, although he has stepped up his rehab in recent times.
An expected return date for the end of this month had been pencilled in, however the Frenchman may need more time to get back into the full swing of things, and the club will not rush him back.
Rangnick said: "He still isn't fully fit and, from what I've heard, it will take another couple of weeks until he's fit for training again. He has been out [injured] for some time, so it will take another couple of weeks to get him match fit."
Anthony Martial
It can be assumed that Anthony Martial may not play again for United whilst he seeks a move away from Old Trafford this month.
The forward had been struggling with a knee injury over the Christmas period, but it is thought that he has now made a full recovery.
However, despite Martial being available for selection, it is thought that he will continue to be left out due to his ongoing transfer saga.
Scott McTominay
Scottish midfielder Scott McTominay arguably played his best game of the season against Burnley at the end of last month, but unfortunately for him, he picked up his fifth booking of the campaign in the following game against Wolves.
McTominay will now serve a one match suspension, meaning he will miss out on the FA Cup clash with Aston Villa on Monday, but he will return for the following game.
Luke Shaw
Like McTominay, defender Luke Shaw also picked up his fifth yellow card of the season against Wolves on Monday, meaning he has to serve a one match suspension.
This will rule him out of the FA Cup Third Round fixture against Villa, but he will be available for selection once again for United’s return to league action next weekend.
Eric Bailly
Eric Bailly will be unavailable for the next four weeks whilst he is away at the Africa Cup of Nations, which begins on Sunday.
The defender will be representing his nation, Ivory Coast, as the Elephants aim for glory at the postponed 2021 tournament in Cameroon.
