LONDON: Erik ten Hag expects to be boosted by the return of Rasmus Hojlund (pix), Harry Maguire and Aaron Wan-Bissaka for Manchester United's FA Cup quarter-final against Liverpool.
Injury-hit United have endured a poor season and need to overcome Jurgen Klopp's side at Old Trafford on Sunday to keep their hopes of silverware alive.
United enter the showdown with their bitter rivals as underdogs, but right-back Wan-Bissaka should return after two months out, with England defender Maguire and Denmark striker Hojlund also set to feature.
“We had a good week. Today we had a session and they were all training,“ Ten Hag said at his pre-match press conference on Friday.
“I think (they are available). We have tomorrow one session. Of course, we have to see how they recover from this but it looks good.”
Ten Hag also gave a positive update on United midfielder Mason Mount, who has been kept out for four months with a calf issue.
“It was very good Mason Mount trained also the whole week with us,“ he said. “First part of the week also partly, but then also he had some full sessions with us, so it’s looking good.”
Lisandro Martinez, Anthony Martial, Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia remain sidelined, while United confirmed Jonny Evans has been “nursing a minor issue for the past few matches”.
The club said “his game-time has been carefully managed” and he has not been included in Northern Ireland’s squad for their March internationals.
Defeat on Sunday would increase the pressure on Ten Hag as speculation mounts over his future at Old Trafford following the recent arrival at the club of co-owner Jim Ratcliffe.
The Dutchman said his players should take confidence from their good run in the early weeks of 2024 despite the daunting task of taking on in-form Liverpool.
“I think the players, the team showed lately from January on we are in a very good series of games with a lot of wins, so they have to believe they can do it,“ he said.
“Now we have to take the momentum. That is also what I feel when I train with them, during and around the games, that they have that belief, a good confidence, good spirit is there in the team.”
Ten Hag dismissed reports of a potential move for Marcus Rashford to Paris Saint-Germain.
The England forward has suffered a dramatic drop in form this season -- managing just seven goals for United so far compared with 30 during the 2022/23 campaign.
But Ten Hag said: “We didn’t re-sign him last season for four years with the intention to sell him, no. He should be part of this project, so that is not a subject we talk about.” -AFP
