Harry Maguire is battling to be fit for Manchester United’s FA Cup semi-final clash with Coventry at Wembley on Sunday as the club’s defensive injury crisis bites deep.
Manager Erik ten Hag is already without six senior defenders in Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez, Luke Shaw, Victor Lindelof, Jonny Evans and Tyrell Malacia.
He revealed that Maguire hasn’t trained until Friday following last weekend’s draw at Bournemouth when he played alongside teenager Willy Kambwala for the second game in a row.
The United boss is confident that Maguire will be fit in time to face the Championship club as United look to secure a place in the FA Cup final for the second year in a row.
‘We have some problems,’ said Ten Hag. ‘Harry had a small injury and he didn’t train this week so far, but now he is back on the pitch. We expect him to be back for Sunday, I hope.’
The Dutchman also hopes that Antony and Scott McTominay will be available for the game. Antony has missed one game and McTominay two with a knee injury, but Ten Hag said: ‘Antony and Scott, I expect them to be back. Scott didn’t train all week, partially on Wednesday. Today I expect him (to train in) full. Antony did train all week.’
United will be on their guard after a Coventry team pushing for promotion from the Championship shocked Premier League club Wolves 3-2 in the quarter-finals.
Ten Hag said: ‘We did our job, we are prepared and we know their team, how they play, the individual abilities of the players and we know the manager, he’s doing a fantastic job over there so we know a lot about them.
‘Of course they are dangerous. They are in the semi-final, then it’s logical. Last season they were not that far away from promotion to the Premier League, so they do a fantastic job over there. We have seen the game against Wolves in the quarter-final, the mentality is fabulous. We have to play to our best levels.’
Ten Hag was reluctant to dwell on going one better than last season, when United lost to Manchester City in the final, or what success might mean for his second campaign in charge at Old Trafford.
‘Last season was last season,’ he added. ‘We want to achieve every season, we want to win trophies. We have a big opportunity, we are in a semi-final but it’s a huge challenge. We know all the problems and when you have so many problems you have to find solutions and on Sunday we will find solutions and we want to go into the final.
‘You have to always see the circumstances we have to face, but I’m not thinking in this moment about this, I’m thinking about Sunday, how we beat Coventry City and the rest is for later. We are planning for next season but for now it’s all about Sunday.’
