Axel Tuanzebe was back in the starting eleven on Saturday as Manchester United booked their place in the FA Cup fourth-round.
It only took one goal from Scott McTominay, who started against Watford as captain, to see Manchester United qualify for the next round of the FA Cup.
The draw for the fourth and fifth-round is scheduled to take place on Monday at 8pm.
Tuanzebe is one of the players who will be looking forward to seeing who the Red Devils draw in the fourth-round first, with the view of progressing and getting more minutes on the pitch.
The 23-year-old had made just 10 appearances for United so far this season and, prior to the win over Watford, his previous start came before Christmas — against Everton in the Carabao Cup.
But with a Premier League double header coming up this week — and the absence of Victor Lindelof last night worsened by Eric Bailly suffering a knock in the first half — Tuanzebe will be desperate to get more minutes under his belt.
“We want to be top of the league, you know, and this is the time to do it,” Tuanzebe told MUTV.
“[They are] two games that can really cement our position at the top and we just bounce on from there.”
On making the fourth-round of the FA Cup, the centre-back added: “That’s what is most important. That’s what we said after the game, that we’re through.
“Sometimes, games like this are scrappy, a lot of changes to the team, it’s hard to have a rhythm, a pattern of play, but it’s job done.”
The question Tuanzebe will be asking himself is whether he did enough against Watford to warrant more time in the side for bigger matches, like the two coming up in the league.
“I would obviously love to get more minutes, so I can constantly keep my performances up,” he continued. “Obviously the team are doing well so the only way in is really to force myself in with the chances that I do get.
“Respect to Watford. We said it before the game: they’re a very tough-spirited side. Even though they made changes to the team, we know their ethos, their culture. So we knew that we had to perform to get the victory.”
Hopefully Bailly recovers in time for the trip to Anfield, but I wouldn’t be against starting Tuanzebe alongside Harry Maguire against Burnley on Tuesday night.
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