Manchester United’s hopes of having forward Antony available for the FA Cup final against Manchester City on Saturday have been dealt a blow. Manager Erik ten Hag expressed concern that Antony is “unlikely” to recover from his injury in time for the highly anticipated match. The Brazilian player was stretchered off during last week’s Premier League victory over Chelsea.
Ten Hag had been optimistic about Antony’s chances of returning to face Manchester City in the first all-Manchester FA Cup final. However, the player’s progress in his recovery has been slow this week, indicating that he is likely to remain sidelined for the final at Wembley.
In addition to Antony, Anthony Martial’s injury-riddled season will also end with him on the sidelines. The 27-year-old sustained a hamstring strain towards the end of Sunday’s win against Fulham, and scans have revealed a muscle tear, ruling him out of the final.
Despite these fitness setbacks, Ten Hag remains confident in the strength of his squad to overcome their arch-rivals, Manchester City. United will be aiming to secure the domestic cup double for the first time this season, having already lifted the League Cup in February.
On the other hand, Premier League champions Manchester City are on the verge of a historic achievement. They could become only the second English club, after United, to win the top-flight title, the FA Cup, and the Champions League in a single season. City will face Inter Milan in the Champions League final on June 10, and United fans are hoping their team can shatter those dreams, reminiscent of Alex Ferguson’s treble-winning heroes of 1999.
