MANCHESTER UNITED have been boosted by the news of Raphael Varane’s imminent return to match fitness.
The Red Devils feared their World Cup-winning defender would be out for the rest of the season after he hobbled off in their 2-2 draw with Sevilla last month.
But the injury is not as bad as first feared and manager Erik ten Hag will have the Frenchman back at his disposal in just over a week and a half’s time.
The Dutchman said: “The prognosis: I think Rafa is close at this moment as is Scott McTominay.
“But still, the coming two games, he’s not available.”
Ten Hag revealed late last month that he was optimistic about France international’s chances of making a faster-than-expected recovery.
The former Ajax boss told talkSPORT: “I think so, yeah. Varane, for the cup final, he can return.”
United booked their place in the FA Cup final with a shootout victory over high-flying Brighton – who they travel to on Thursday night.
And Ten Hag fully expects Roberto De Zerbi’s troops to be out for revenge at The Amex.
He said: “It’s a normal reaction.
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” I think everyone involved in top sport, if you get beaten, you want to have revenge and that is normal.
“They have a huge motivation to beat us, but we have to match that and do more, show more hunger than them, to win this game – willingness is the word for tomorrow.
“We want to win every game, we want to win every competition.
“We want to be in the Champions League, that is the competition we are now fighting for and that is the only thing in this moment to focus on.
“The FA Cup final is after the season.
“I never want to talk during the season of pride or satisfaction. You know my statement – satisfaction leads to laziness.
“We have six games to go and every game we want to win, therefore you need full focus, full energy, full preparation and tomorrow is definitely going to be a fight.
“We have to be ready for that fight and the points available.
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“I don’t think about away or home, we have to win every game, so we have to win tomorrow as well.”
United travel to The Amex on the back of a 1-0 win over Aston Villa – which saw them narrow the gap between themselves and third-placed Newcastle to two points.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
