London - Several Manchester United players are in the “red zone” according to manager Louis van Gaal as he weighs up his options for today’s FA Cup third-round tie at home to Sheffield United.
A hectic holiday programme, including four games in 15 days, has taken its toll on United’s squad and Van Gaal fears that many of his over-stretched players risk injury or burnout.
Phil Jones is ruled out through injury while Ashley Young might not be risked, with United set to face a Premier League clash at Newcastle United three days after playing third-tier Sheffield.
“Phil Jones is injured and a lot of players are in the red zone,” Van Gaal, for once not grilled on his future as United manager, said.
“(Young) was back in training this week. He is not injured, he is overloaded and in the red zone. More players are in the red zone and we have to decide if they can play against Sheffield United or not.”
Young hobbled off against Swansea City last weekend, when United ended an eight-game sequence without a win to ease the immediate pressure on Van Gaal. Jesse Lingard is available, however, after recovering from a hamstring injury. “He has trained fully this week so he is ready,” Van Gaal said.
Van Gaal has only one more year left on his contract after this season and Pep Guardiola’s name has been linked with the Old Trafford hot seat since the Spaniard said he would leave Bayern Munich at the end of the campaign.
Guardiola has also been touted as Chelsea’s next manager, although bookmakers have him favourite to replace Manuel Pellegrini at Manchester City next season.
Van Gaal said he respected Guardiola’s wish to coach in the Premier League, but said nothing should be taken for granted. “It’s not for sure he (Pep) will be the manager of a Premier club next season,” he said. “I think that it is very good he wants to do that.
“I have already said that I am at the end of my career so for me it is not so interesting. For me, what is interesting is how I take care of Manchester United and I still have one year to go after this season.”
Chelsea’s Oscar and Diego Costa faced up to each like bulls, never threw punches and ended up laughing together, interim manager Guus Hiddink said on Friday as he denied reports of a training ground bust-up.
British media reported on Thursday that the Brazilian and Spanish internationals nearly came to blows after exchanging tackles in a practice session ahead of tomorrow’s FA Cup third-round tie against Scunthorpe United.
“They were like bulls who were chesting a bit after a charge from behind by Oscar,” Hiddink said. “He got Diego and they stumbled over the ground and then they chested a bit.”
Hiddink said other players had stepped between them but that there had been no need for that. “Costa took a charge from behind from the smaller of the two, Oscar, and it was overdone, especially when you know Oscar is not the biggest tackler of the team,” he said.
“They stumbled over the ground, stood up, as a normal reaction. Those things happen when you’re close to the edge in an intense session.”
Hiddink said Oscar had apologised in front of the other players for over-reacting. “It was a normal battle,” he added.
Oscar had tweeted earlier: “He’s one of my best friends and we never fight.”
Both players endured an indifferent start to the season under former manager Jose Mourinho, but have raised their games since Hiddink took over last month.
They each scored in the Blues’ 3-0 dismantling of Crystal Palace on Sunday, when the champions won for only the sixth time in 20 league games this season.
Chelsea, 14th in the table and 13 points adrift of the Champions League places, host West Brom and Everton in the league next week.
Saturday (selected ties): Wycombe Wanderers v Aston Villa, Arsenal v Sunderland, Birmingham City v AFC Bournemouth, Doncaster Rovers v Stoke City, Everton v Dagenham and Redbridge, Norwich City v Manchester City, Southampton v Crystal Palace, Watford v Newcastle United, West Bromwich Albion v Bristol City, West Ham United v Wolverhampton Wanderers, Manchester United v Sheffield United.
Sunday: Oxford United v Swansea City, Chelsea v Scunthorpe United, Tottenham Hotspur v Leicester City.
Reuters