Hello and welcome to coverage of the 3pm kick offs in the Premier League.
Erik ten Hag insisted Rasmus Hojlund’s injury need not throw Manchester United’s season off course as the club’s failure to sign another striker in January once again came under the spotlight.
Hojlund will miss today’s match against Fulham and the midweek FA Cup tie at Nottingham Forest, and is also expected to be out for next Sunday’s derby against Manchester City with a muscle injury that could see him sidelined for up to three weeks and potentially miss five games.
It is a significant blow given Hojlund’s electric form of late – the 21-year-old Dane has scored seven goals in his last six appearances for United – and leaves Ten Hag short of options in attack, with Anthony Martial out until April following surgery on his groin.
“(Hojlund) was lately very important,” he said. “But main man? I don’t see it that way. Because I think especially (Alejandro) Garnacho is playing very strong in the last games…
“‘Rashy’ (Marcus Rashford) is capable. (He has only scored five but) he can score. Lately, in our last games the frontline is an absolute threat, they score. Is it Rasmus Hojlund only? No, it’s Garnacho, it’s also Rashford, it’s also Scott McTominay. Bruno (Fernandes) can score a goal.
“What gives me the confidence, in autumn the frontline wasn’t scoring, they were not even a threat. In this moment they are in very good form and a threat continually. I am quite confident that even when Rasmus Hojlund is not there, it will go on.
“We can line up a frontline which is really strong. I don’t think there is a frontline where the opponent thinks, ‘pfft, that is easy’. No, they will fear our frontline I am sure.”
Meanhwile, Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has called on his side to rediscover their “positive energy” to get their home form back on track against Nottingham Forest.
Villa’s 17-game unbeaten run in the top flight at Villa Park came to a shuddering halt with back-to-back defeats to Newcastle and Manchester United, while they were also knocked out of the FA Cup by Chelsea.
Despite injury concerns still hitting his side hard, Emery is confident of turning the recent nose-dive around, insisting: “We are excited to play at Villa Park.
“We are aware about our last matches at home, (we) didn’t win against Chelsea, Newcastle and Man United.
“First we want to transmit a positive energy at home, connect with our supporters and feel comfortable in our structure.”
Team news from all the matches coming right up.