FA Cup: Antony was stretchered off during the first half of last week’s Premier League win against Chelsea
Erik ten Hag fears Manchester United forward Antony is” doubtful” to recover from injury in time for Saturday’s FA Cup final against Manchester City. Antony was stretchered off during the first half of last week’s Premier League palm against Chelsea. United master Ten Hag had hoped the Brazilian could return to face treble- chasing City in the first all- Manchester FA Cup final. But Antony has made slow progress this week and looks set to be sidelined at Wembley.” Unlikely( he will be fit),” Ten Hag told journalists on Friday.” Dos Santos( Antony) still has a chance but it’s a really small chance.
“He did not make the progress, so he still has a chance but doubtful he’s available.”
Anthony Martial‘s injury- hit season will also end on the sidelines.
The 27- time-old strained a hamstring towards the end of Sunday’s palm against Fulham and he’ll miss the final after reviews showed a muscle gash.
Despite the fitness issues anguishing his platoon, Ten Hag remains confident United have the team strength to beat arch rivals City.
“These questions so numerous times about the absence of players in the last couple of months,” he said.
“Every time I say the same answer it’s about the players who are available and numerous times we were successful.
“We’ve a good team and from that good team we make a good platoon.”
United are looking to complete the domestic mug double for the first time, having lifted the League Cup in February.
Meanwhile, Premier League titleholders City can come only the alternate English club after United to win the top- flight title, the FA Cup and the titleholders League in one season.
City face Inter Milan in the titleholders League final on June 10.
United suckers are hopeless for their side to extinguish those dreams as Pep Guardiola‘s men look to replicate Alex Ferguson’s 1999 treble icons .
“We want to win, we want to win a mug,” Ten Hag said.” It’s not about stopping them. It’s about that we win, that we win the mug. We’ve a great occasion.
“That is great that we merited that occasion to be in the mug final and also meet Man City. That is a great occasion.
“We fought so hard for it. I suppose we progressed that well that we’re in that FA Cup final.”
City won this season’s first Manchester derby 6- 3 at the Etihad Stadium, with United coming back to win 2- 1 at Old Trafford in January
United finished 14 points behind City, who won a fifth title in six seasons, and Ten Hag is well apprehensive of the quality posed by the titleholders.
“They play veritably good football, so they earn it. Of course I look at others because they’re opponents and I estimate it, but we look to ourselves,” he said.
“We make veritably good progress, we’re in a good direction and now we use the coming period as well.
“Now we get the occasion in the summer to make new targets, new pretensions on the short term.
“But the longer term, yeah, that will stay the same. As I said last time, we want to restore Man United but we’ve a way to go.” Know More Latest Football News…
