Harry Maguire has been ruled out of the FA Cup final against Manchester City on Saturday.
The Man Utd defender sustained a muscle injury in training earlier this month and was expected to be out for three weeks.
“Maguire is unavailable,” manager Erik ten Hag said at his pre-match press conference.
Asked if Maguire, who has been named in England’s provisional Euro 2024 squad, has suffered a setback, Ten Hag said: “I don’t think so, no.
“It’s just he didn’t make it, didn’t heal as we expected.”
United’s injury issues easing
Left-backs Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia will also miss Saturday’s final at Wembley but United’s injury issues have eased in recent weeks, with Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane returning along with Marcus Rashford and captain Bruno Fernandes.
Victor Lindelof, Mason Mount and Anthony Martial were also pictured in training in the build-up to the final boosting Ten Hag’s options against rivals City.
“All the players you mentioned (Lindelof, Mount and Martial), are I think all available, Ten Hag added.
“Tomorrow final training and then we will make final decisions but if I oversee it now it looks good.”
Ten Hag’s focus on FA Cup glory not his future
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Manchester United boss Erik Ten Hag is only concerned about the job he has to do at the FA Cup final, as rumours about his future in the club are addressed.
Meanwhile, under-fire Ten Hag says his sole focus is on winning the FA Cup rather than talk about the potential of it being his final match as Manchester United manager.
United are looking to salvage a poor, injury-hit season by beating their neighbours City at Wembley.
United bowed out of Europe before Christmas and limped home in eighth place – their lowest ever Premier League finish – as speculation continues over boss Ten Hag’s future.
Mauricio Pochettino, Thomas Tuchel and Kieran McKenna are among the names linked with the Old Trafford hot seat as INEOS consider how to take the club back to the top.
Asked about some people suggesting this weekend’s final could be his last match as United manager, Ten Hag chuckled and said: “I have nothing to say.
“I am just focusing on the job I have to do and that is first win the game on Saturday and then we are in the project. Keep going in the project.”
‘I came here to win trophies and Saturday is another opportunity’
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Erik ten Hag admitted that Manchester United’s season had not been good enough but that they are now looking forward to the opportunity to win the FA Cup against Manchester City next weekend.
He added: “I came here to win trophies.
“Saturday I have the next opportunity and we achieved this, earned this opportunity as a team and now we have to go for it.
“In the same time, in the last two years, of course after every season you review it and then we will see where we are in the project and things we have to change.
“We spoke lately about it. Underneath there are very good things – players coming up, players developing, values coming up.
“And, in the same time, we have on Saturday a big opportunity to win the next trophy.”
Does the final matter more to Ten Hag?
Erik ten Hag issues rallying call after Man Utd edge out Newcastle 3-2 at Old Trafford
Analysis from Sky Sports’ Ben Grounds:
Following one of the club’s worst league seasons in a generation it could be that the writing is already on the wall for Ten Hag after two years in the job, as new minority owners INEOS consider how best to take the club forward.
The United manager has overseen the club’s lowest Premier League finish as well as 14 league defeats and a first-ever negative goal difference, while defeat at Wembley will leave them facing just a second season since 1989/90 without European football.
Four victories in the final 13 games of the Premier League season, a run that included a calamitous 4-0 humbling by Crystal Palace early in May, was an indicator that progress under their Dutch coach has stalled, while even the manner in which they reached Saturday’s final – throwing away a 3-0 semi-final lead against Championship side Coventry and requiring penalties to edge through – drew harsh criticism.
Ten Hag called the hostile media reception to the semi-final win “embarrassing”, but the assessment of United’s performance against the Sky Blues was a snapshot of a campaign in which they have consistently been accused of failing to exercise control over games.
There would be no shortage of candidates should Sir Jim Ratcliffe decide upon a change, with Mauricio Pochettino – who was considered for the job in 2022 before the appointment of Ten Hag – the latest name to become available following his departure from Chelsea.
Former Blues bosses Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter as well as England manager Gareth Southgate have also been linked, as has Kieran McKenna of Ipswich.
Ultimately the decision could come down to how much of United’s demise is deemed to be on Ten Hag’s shoulders and how much is the product of more structural problems outside of the manager’s control.
Man Utd will need the game of their lives
In the latest Merson Says, Paul Merson says that Man Utd would need “the game of their lives” to lift the FA Cup and explains why Erik ten Hag will already know his future…
“I can’t see anything but a Man City win in the FA Cup final. They’re head and shoulders above Man Utd.
“People will say Wigan beat Man City in the FA Cup, but this side’s a lot different. This is a one-off game, it depends how Man Utd play.
“If you turn up and play 10 behind the ball, and try to counter-attack, then get beaten 1-0 or 2-0, don’t have a shot like we did at Aston Villa vs Chelsea [in 2000], you come away and think, why didn’t we have a go? The manager set us up to make sure we didn’t get beaten.
“Man Utd have got to go and have a go. You do get your chances against Man City if you pick the right pass – don’t get me wrong, you get opened up a lot too – but you do get your chances.
“They need their players to really have the games of their lives to win this football match.”