FA Cup: Ten Hag gets Man United injury boost ahead of Liverpool clash

United is languishing in sixth in the Premier League and faces a red-hot Liverpool side which is level on points at the top of the table with Arsenal, although it trails the Gunners on goal difference.

Erik ten Hag, Manager of Manchester United, applauds the fans following the team’s victory during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Everton FC at Old Trafford. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag expects to have several key players back from injury for its FA Cup quarterfinal against Liverpool on Sunday, with Rasmus Hojlund, Harry Maguire and Aaron Wan-Bissaka all training this week.

“They returned on the pitch. Partly in the start of the week and today we had a session that they were all training,” Ten Hag told reporters on Friday. “I think (they will be available). We have, (Saturday) one session. We have to see how they recover from this, but it looks good.”

Hojlund scored in six successive games across all competitions, with eight goals in his last eight games, before a muscle injury sidelined him for four games, including United’s 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup fifth round.

United is languishing in sixth in the Premier League and faces a red-hot Liverpool side which is level on points at the top of the table with Arsenal, although it trails the Gunners on goal difference.

Facing its north west rival adds some spice to the match at Old Trafford.

“Some games are bigger than others, I think Manchester United against Liverpool is always a big game. I am looking forward to it,” Ten Hag said. “The fans see it as a very big game and they are very eager for us to win ... our fans have to be loud.

“In such games, we always achieve good performances. I don’t think in any really high-rated game that we had any lows. They are very consistent, we need our best to beat them.”

The FA Cup is the only silverware United remain in the hunt for amid a tough season for Ten Hag’s side. It lost to Manchester City in last year’s final at Wembley.

United will be the more rested of the two sides after Liverpool clobbered Sparta Prague 6-1 on Thursday in the Europa League. United has not played since it defeated Everton 2-0 with penalties from Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford in the Premier League on Saturday.

United has lifted the FA Cup 12 times, second only to Arsenal’s 14, while Liverpool has hoisted eight.