When Manchester United welcomes Championship side Middlesbrough to Old Trafford on Friday night, they will be hoping to book their place in the FA Cup fifth round. The Red Devils advanced to this round of the championship after defeating fellow Premier League club Aston Villa 1-0, while Middlesbrough defeated League Two side Mansfield Town 3-2.
Man United beat West Ham United 1-0 before the interval to make it three victories in a row in all competitions, with Marcus Rashford’s last-gasp victory sealing a crucial three points for the Red Devils, who are presently fourth in the Premier League table. Ralf Rangnick’s team also beat Brentford in the league on January 19, while a 1-0 win against Aston Villa at Old Trafford qualified them into the fourth round of the FA Cup this season.
The build-up to this match has been overshadowed by off-the-field issues involving Mason Greenwood, but the players will be raring to go after a short break, and the Red Devils are still fighting on three fronts this season, with the first leg of their last-16 Champions League tie with Atletico Madrid set for February 23 at Wanda Metropolitano.
Man United is the second-most successful team in FA Cup history, having won the cup 12 times, the most recent of which was in 2016. They lost in the quarter-finals to Leicester City last season and in the semi-finals to Chelsea in the 2019-20 season. The 20-time English champions haven’t played Middlesbrough since a Premier League match in March 2017, when the Red Devils won 3-1 at the Riverside Stadium with to goals from Marouane Fellaini, Jesse Lingard, and Antonio Valencia.
Middlesbrough will undoubtedly be the underdogs going into Friday’s match, but the visitors should be confident after a string of good results since the end of November. Boro have won eight of their past ten games in all competitions, with only one defeat, including a 3-2 win against Mansfield in the FA Cup third round on January 8.
Chris Wilder’s team defeated Coventry City 1-0 on January 29 to climb into sixth place in the Championship league, and they will be looking to return to the Premier League next season. Wilder has had a significant effect at the Riverside Stadium, winning eight of his 12 games in charge, and while the league is the goal for the 54-year-old this season, the potential to advance to the fifth round of the FA Cup at the cost of Manchester United is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Middlesbrough, who face Queens Park Rangers in the Championship on February 9, has never won the FA Cup, but they did reach the final in 1997, losing 2-0 to Chelsea at Wembley. Paul Pogba and Luke Shaw will both return on Friday after stints out, while Aaron Wan-Bissaka could be ready after a stretch on the sidelines due to sickness, according to interim head coach Rangnick.
Following personal concerns, Jadon Sancho should be included in the squad, while Edinson Cavani will miss out due to his involvement with Uruguay during the international break, and Victor Lindelof (sickness), Eric Bailly (ankle), and Jesse Lingard (personal) are also out. Because Greenwood has been suspended by the club and will be unavailable for the foreseeable future, Rashford may start on the right flank with Nemanja Matic and Anthony Elanga.
Rangnick will undoubtedly be looking ahead to United’s Premier League match against Burnley on February 8, although Cristiano Ronaldo is set to start for the Red Devils, and David de Gea might keep his place in goal despite the presence of Dean Henderson, who has played little this season. Riley McGree, a recent signing for Middlesbrough, tested positive for coronavirus while on international duty with Australia, meaning he will miss this match.
On-loan Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun is scheduled to make his debut start for the club. Sammy Ameobi, Darnell Fisher, and Marc Bola are all out, and James Lea Siliki is still on international duty. Wilder is expected to pitch a strong team against Old Trafford, with Andraz Sporar perhaps partnering Balogun in the final third, although Duncan Watmore, Lee Peltier, and Martin Payero will all be aiming for minutes in the FA Cup match.
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