MANCHESTER UNITED take on League Two side Newport County today in a huge FA Cup tie.
Erik Ten Hag’s side will be looking to avoid a massive upset and they’ll have to do it without Marcus Rashford, who misses the game through illness.
- Kick-off time: 4.30pm GMT
- Stream/TV: BBC One/iPlayer
- Newport XI: To follow
- Man Utd XI: To follow
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Spiky…
Erik ten Hag was asked by the BBC about Marcus Rashford’s absence today.
“He reported ill”, was his first response when asked where he was.
Pushed further on nightclub reports and pending disciplinary matter, he snapped back: “It’s an internal matter. I’ll deal with that.”
The danger men
Will Evans is the man that the minnows will be praying can fire them to giantkilling glory.
The 26-year-old forward already has 17 goals this term for the play-off chasing Exiles and he knows it will just take one more against United to achieve legendary status at the club.
For United, they could look to Rasmus Hojlund who leads the line today.
He has two goals in his last three games and showing a bit of goal-scoring form.
Man in the middle
David Coote is today’s referee.
He’s issues 19 yellow cards in his last four games in the middle.
The game previous to those he showed ten yellows and two reds cards.
Ten Hag excitement
Erik ten Hag has said games like this highlight the ‘charm’ in cup football.
And he reckons his side are well equipped for teams raising their game against Man Utd.
He said: “I think we have the experience often to go into an opposition who play their biggest game. I think exactly every game against them, they want so much to win more than against any other opponent.
“So that attitude from the opposition, that is usual for us. But it’s not about them. It’s about us. If we show the right mentality there, it’s all about that.”
“We will manage the whole situation, of course, but also don’t make an item from it. It is what it is.
“And you know, that is also the charm from cup football. Take it as it is, act professional and make sure you get a win and go into the next round.”
The draw in full
Here was the 5th round draw, if you haven’t caught it already.
As mentioned, United or Newport will face Bristol City/Nottingham Forest.
Non-league Maidstone are at Sheffield Wednesday or Coventry.
And if Wrexham beat Blackburn tomorrow, they will welcome Newcastle to the Racecourse Ground!
- Blackburn/Wrexham v Newcastle
- Chelsea/Aston Villa v Leeds/Plymouth
- Bournemouth v Leicester
- Liverpool/Norwich v Watford/Southampton
- Bristol City/Nottingham Forest v Newport/Man Utd
- Wolves v Brighton
- Sheffield Wednesday/Coventry v Maidstone United
- Luton v Man City
Latest odds
Another way of showing the task for Newport ahead is by looking at today’s odds.
Betfair make the 17/1 chances to win the tie today – with United 1/100 to qualify from this tie in whatever shape.
Betfair: Newport County vs Man United match odds
- Newport County – 17/1
- Draw – 7/1
- Man Utd – 1/12
Betfair: Newport County vs Man United – To Qualify odds
- Newport County – 16/1
- Man Utd – 1/100
Views from SunSport’s Justin Allen at Rodney Parade
Harry Maguire and Erik ten Hag stopped to sign autographs and shirts as they walked into Rodney Parade.
The United boss has dropped Marcus Rashford after he partied in a nightclub in Belfast.
Rashford was one of the players many of the Newport players were looking forward to facing.
In fact, midfielder Nathan Wood wanted to grab his shirt post-match – but the England striker will not be playing here at Rodney Parade.
The gulf
We know it’s a tall ask for Newport this afternoon but just how big is it?
Well, there’s a huge 73 places between the pair in the English football pyramid.
Newport occupy 16th in League Two, with United hoping to climb up the table now some key men return.
They’re eighth in the top flight currently.
How the hosts line up
And the Newport XI – named by manager Graham Coughlan.
Danger man Will Evans is the one to look out for.
NEWPORT COUNTY XI: Townsend, Clarke, Delaney, Lewis, McLoughlin, Bennett, Morris, Wildig, Charsley, Palmer-Houlden, Evans
Team news
And we’ll start with the visitors.
We said Erik ten Hag will go strong and the United boss is at full strength.
Lisandro Martinez, Luke Shaw and Casemiro return from injury.
And there’s a debut in goal for Altay Bayindir!
MAN UTD XI: Altay, Dalot, Varane, Martinez, Shaw, Casemiro, Mainoo, Fernandes, Antony, Garnacho, Hojlund
Fifth round draw!
The team news is on the way, we’ll have that in just a few seconds.
But in the meantime, the fifth round draw is ongoing.
The winners of today’s tie will have an away tie at either Bristol City or Nottingham Forest – who will replay after a draw yesterday.
More on the draw later!
Graham Coughlan massive red
Newport boss Graham Coughlan is looking for the biggest result of his managerial career today.
But he’s also a massive Reds fan – who watches the side across Europe!
He told the Daily Mail: “I followed United years ago, when they couldn’t win an argument, never mind a game.
“It was tough being a follower at that time because Liverpool were dominating, and you had to go to school every day and just get hammered. They’re going through a similar period now, like they experienced in the eighties, but they’ll come through and get to the other side of it.
“I was there the last time they lifted a trophy, the League Cup. Me and the kids were there. I was there the last time they lifted the FA Cup.
“I’ve been to finals that they’ve lost. They gave me one of the best nights of my life in Barcelona. The FA Cup final in 1985. I was there when Liverpool beat them in the League Cup final in 1983. My missus will always accompany me when the big European games come around, the kids come with me for the league games.”
Setting the scene
Here’s how we look with a little over an hour until kick off.
The United players have taken in their surroundings and are inside ahead of the warm up.
Credit: Reuters Credit: Getty Fifth round draw
A bit of a strange scenario as the fifth round draw is due shortly.
It was supposed to come before Liverpool’s tie with Norwich City.
But it was put back to half time – so will be on the way shortly.
Rashford illness
On that Rashford illness, the United star faces disciplinary action for missing training after back-to-back nights out in Belfast.
Rashford is in hot water after he ‘was too ill on Friday’, despite being spotted in Thompsons Garage nightclub hours earlier.
Rashford trained on Wednesday and was pictured in Lavery’s Bar that evening ahead of a planned day off.
He is believed to have been in Northern Ireland to see his pal and former academy team-mate Ro-Shaun Williams, who is signed for Larne FC.
The striker was then seen in Thompsons on Thursday and flew home by private jet the following morning.
Views from SunSport’s Justin Allen at Rodney Parade
The Manchester United team and entourage have just arrived into Newport.
Thousands of home fans are in the streets to welcome them.
United are one of only two teams the League Two team have never faced from the top four divisions – Liverpool being the other.
Tickets for this game at Rodney Parade sold out in just little over half an hour on Monday.
There will be a capacity 9,500 packed in with 1,400 from United.
Taking no chances
Erik ten Hag has said he’ll be taking a strong team for today’s fixture and is taking no chances.
But he WON’T have Marcus Rashford – more on that shortly…
The United boss said: “We’ll have a strong side.
“We have still some injuries like Victor Lindelof and Tyrell Malacia.
“Marcus Rashford was ill, Jonny Evans was ill so we have to see how they recover.
“But for the rest, we have players returning like Lisandro Martinez, like Luke Shaw, like Harry Maguire, like Casemiro which is a good thing.”
GAME DAY!
Hello and welcome to today’s FA Cup fourth round coverage as League Two Newport aim to take the ultimate scalp against Manchester United.
County sit 16th in the fourth tier and are – of course – long odds to topple 12-time winners United.
But some might say it’s as good a time as any to take on Erik ten Hag’s men.
Nevertheless, there’s a major gulf between the two sides in all aspects.
It will be a good test for County – but one they’ll certainly relish.
Will United? That’s the question…
A place in the fifth round is up for grabs and we’ll have all the action here!
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
