Manchester United will face Manchester City in the FA Cup final in three weeks but before then, Erik ten Hag faces the challenge of arresting his side’s poor form and qualifying for next season’s Champions League.
United need nine points from their remaining four games if their top-four rivals win all of their games and after back-to-back defeats, it’s starting to look like an uphill battle for the Reds.
A full week of rest since the last game, the first time that has happened since September, could have allowed United to reset and return to form.
The first test comes this weekend as Wolves make the trip to Old Trafford, with Julen Lopetegui’s men all but securing safety after some good results.
Ten Hag has a number of selection headaches going into the game, having revealed that top goalscorer Marcus Rashford is a big doubt.
Raphael Varane will, however, be available for selection after several weeks on the sidelines and Alejandro Garnacho could make his return following his lengthy absence due to a serious ankle injury.
It remains to be seen whether Varane will immediately return to the starting line-up or whether he is slowly brought back, as Ten Hag opted to do with Christian Eriksen.
In his absence, Luke Shaw has filled in at centre-back, with Victor Lindelof also stepping in to produce some of his best performances for United.
Further up the pitch, Casemiro is almost certain to start alongside Christian Eriksen, with Bruno Fernandes spearheading the midfield.
Antony is a near-given on the right-hand side and Ten Hag will choose between Jadon Sancho and Garnacho on the opposite side. Wout Weghorst’s streak of 19 straight starts ended earlier this season when Anthony Martial returned from his injury but the Dutchman could be offered a starting berth this time around.
Predicted Manchester United line-up (4-2-3-1): De Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Shaw, Dalot; Casemiro, Eriksen; Antony, Fernandes, Sancho; Weghorst
