Eight games & counting! Injury-ravaged Anthony Martial still missing for Man Utd as Carabao Cup winners turn attention to FA Cup

• French forward struggling for fitness
• Out of action since early February
• Will not be involved against Hammers

WHAT HAPPENED? The 27-year-old has been blighted by injury problems in the 2022-23 campaign, with regular spells on the treatment table restricting him to just 14 appearances in total. The last of those came against Nottingham Forest in the second leg of a Carabao Cup semi-final on February 1, with no minutes seen since then across Premier League and Europa League competition, as well as a League Cup triumph over Newcastle at Wembley Stadium that brought United’s six-year wait for major silverware to a close.

WHAT THEY SAID: Erik ten Hag has said when asked for a fitness update on his squad heading into an FA Cup fifth-round tie with West Ham on Wednesday: “Anthony Martial is not available and Luke Shaw and Fred are questions for tomorrow.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Shaw and Fred both figured in all eight of United’s games in the month of February, but they may be rested against the Hammers as Christian Eriksen and Donny van de Beek remain long-term absentees. Ten Hag is eager to see whoever he selects make a decisive contribution against West Ham, with the Dutchman saying when asked what his message has been after getting the most ambitious of clubs back on the trophy trail: “Get back to work. Of course, yesterday the players were still enthusiastic and they had to celebrate this momentum. But yesterday after we settled down, we got back to work and did what we had to do, which was recovery. The ones who played less [minutes in the final] did a good training session.”

IN THREE PHOTOS:

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WHAT NEXT? After facing West Ham, the Red Devils have a Premier League trip to old adversaries Liverpool to look forward to on Sunday before then taking on Real Betis in the first leg of their Europa League last-16 encounter.