Match Preview
Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has revealed that Anthony Martial and Matteo Darmian are ready to return for Wednesday's Barclays Premier League encounter against Watford.
Martial missed out the wins against FC Midtjylland, in the UEFA Europa League, and Arsenal in the Barclays Premier League, with a hamstring problem enabling Marcus Rashford to break into the first teams with a brace in each match.
Darmian also faces competition for a right-back berth with Guillermo Varela one of the stand-out performers in the victory over Arsenal, although either could also operate on the opposite flank.
Rashford makes his mark with debut heroics >>
A late decision will be made on Chris Smalling, who has been out since picking up an injury during a collision with the advertising hoardings during their FA Cup fifth-round victory over Shrewsbury Town, while Marcos Rojo suffered what Van Gaal described as "a kick" which will be assessed ahead of the match.
"Players are coming back in March, I think," the United manager told MUTV on Tuesday. "We need players who are coming back because our programme is very full.
"Martial can play and also Darmian can play. Maybe Chris Smalling can play. We have to wait and see for tomorrow."
The 3-2 victory over Arsenal has rekindled hopes of a late-season charge to finish in the top four, with United now sitting within three points of Manchester City, having played one match more.
"There are a lot of points to take, but football is very quick so we now need to make sure that we win against Watford,” Morgan Schneiderlin, the midfielder, told MUTV. "We have seen this season all the teams above slip up and all the teams have some bad results. So it is up to us to exploit that.
"We had a big discussion a few weeks ago, saying the results were not what we expect, but also that it is not only about us. It is about the whole city, about the whole football club. So we need to make sure we place Manchester United in the right place."
Van Gaal: I was made manager to give youth chance >>
Visiting Watford drew 0-0 at home to AFC Bournemouth on Saturday and have only lost once in their last five to sit in 10th position on 37 points.
They have failed to score in five of their last seven league matches, though, and have lost all of their last 10 meetings with United in all competitions, including the 2-1 reverse at Vicarage Road in November.
Captain Troy Deeney said: "Bournemouth was one of those games where both teams could have stayed out all day and not scored. We will take the draw, thankfully we didn't lose and we will move on to Man United on Wednesday.
"We have got to be realistic, yes we didn't score, but we didn't lose and it's another clean sheet. We will take the positives from it and will have to up our game come Wednesday night.
"There is no time to be reflecting on things, we have got Man United away and if we beat them it turns into a great week with four points from two games."
Quique Sanchez Flores may rest ever-present midfielder Etienne Capoue after he was taken off against AFC Bournemouth, while Jose Manuel Jurado (calf) is still expected to be out.
Manchester United (from): De Gea, Romero, Borthwick-Jackson, Fosu-Mensah, McNair, Riley, Rojo, Smalling, Valencia, Varela, Weir, Blind, Carrick, Fellaini, Herrera, Januzaj, Lingard, Mata, Pereira, Schneiderlin, Depay, Martial, Rashford.
Watford (from): Gilmartin, Gomes, Pantilimon, Ake, Belkalem, Britos, Cathcart, Hoban, Holebas, Nyom, Paredes, Prodl, Abdi, Amrabat, Anya, Behrami, Capoue, Guedioura, Suarez, Watson, Berghuis, Deeney, Ighalo, Oulare.
Match Appointments
Referee: Mike Jones. Assistants: I Hussin, G Beswick. Fourth Official: J Moss
Match Facts
- Manchester United have won their last 10 matches against Watford in all competitions.
- Troy Deeney scored a penalty to equalise for Watford and then an own goal to give Man Utd all three points in the reverse fixture this season.
- Watford already have more points away from home this term (18) than they managed in their two previous BPL campaigns put together (15).
- Marcus Rashford has scored four goals from five shots on target for Man Utd’s first team.
Current Form
W 3 - 2 v ARS (H)
L 2 - 1 v SUN (A)
D 1 - 1 v CHE (A)
W 3 - 0 v STK (H)
L 0 - 1 v SOU (H)
W 0 - 1 v LIV (A)
Watford
D 0 - 0 v BOU (H)
W 1 - 2 v CRY (A)
L 1 - 0 v TOT (A)
D 0 - 0 v CHE (H)
W 2 - 1 v NEW (H)
L 1 - 0 v SWA (A)
Man Utd
Cristiano Ronaldo (20 Pen)
Lloyd Doyley (60 OG)
Henrik Larsson (70)
Wayne Rooney (71)
Wed 2 Mar 2016, Old Trafford
Referee: Mike Jones
#MUNWAT
HEAD TO HEAD
Man United Draw Watford
5wins 0 0