Manchester United head coach Erik ten Hag is confident that Bruno Fernandes will shake off a niggle in time for Sunday's Manchester derby with Manchester City in the Premier League.
The Red Devils captain played every minute of Wednesday's 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest in the fifth round of the FA Cup, but he was seen limping back to the team coach after the game.
Fernandes's knock apparently stemmed from last weekend's top-flight loss to Fulham, where he was lambasted for apparent play-acting by the official Fulham TikTok account, leading Ten Hag to demand an apology from the Cottagers.
As well as Fernandes, Ten Hag also expects Raphael Varane - who "fought" to see out the win at the City Ground - to be fit enough to play, but eight infirm athletes have no chance of recovering for the derby.
All of Mason Mount (calf), Lisandro Martinez (knee), Luke Shaw (muscle), Aaron Wan-Bissaka (unspecified), Harry Maguire (unspecified), Rasmus Hojlund (unspecified), Tyrell Malacia (knee) and Anthony Martial (knee) are still rehabilitating, leaving Ten Hag with few senior options for change.
With Varane expected to be passed fit, the Frenchman ought to form part of an unchanged rearguard with Diogo Dalot, Victor Lindelof, Andre Onana and Sofyan Amrabat, the latter playing as an emergency left-back once more.
A solitary change to the XI could occur in midfield, as Kobbie Mainoo seeks to demote Scott McTominay down to the bench to resume his partnership with Casemiro, scorer of the only goal against Forest in midweek.
After publishing a lengthy article responding to recent criticism in The Players' Tribune, Marcus Rashford should operate at the tip of the Red Devils' attack, supported by Fernandes, Antony and Alejandro Garnacho.
Manchester United possible starting lineup:
Onana; Dalot, Varane, Lindelof, Amrabat; Casemiro, Mainoo; Antony, Fernandes, Garnacho; Rashford
> Click here to see how Man City could line up for the derby
Ben Knapton
