Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag has emphasised the importance of the Carabao Cup and revealed the injury status of six Red Devils stars.
Ten Hag guided United to the trophy in his maiden season in the job in 2022-23, and last term the FA Cup was added at the end of a campaign in which they finished eighth in the Premier League and footballing operations at the club were taken over by Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos.
United host League One Barnsley in the Carabao Cup third round on Tuesday, and when asked if the bar had risen and the club’s owners needed them to win something more significant, Ten Hag said: “I would say it’s significant.
“FA Cup, Carabao Cup, it’s significant. I see all the attention from all the teams, from all the owners, from all the managers when they win a trophy, like Liverpool last year did, winning the Carabao Cup.
“I saw that final. I saw all the teams battling for it. We want the same. So it’s very important in football to win trophies. You have five opportunities, and our aim is always to win all the games, so win all the trophies if possible.”
He added: “No doubt we are aiming for a trophy, this is one opportunity, so we take it (Tuesday’s game) seriously.”
United, currently 10th in the fledgling league table with six points from four matches, recovered from back-to-back defeats at Brighton (2-1) and at home to Liverpool (3-0) to win 3-0 at Southampton on Saturday.
Lisandro Martinez and Noussair Mazraoui both limped off in the second half of that contest, in which fellow defender Matthijs de Ligt was also withdrawn due to cramp.
But all three are fit to be selected for Tuesday, with Ten Hag saying: “They are all available, they are good.”
Ten Hag also confirmed Rasmus Hojlund, Mason Mount and Victor Lindelof were not ready for the Barnsley fixture as they continue their recoveries from injury, but did not rule them out of Saturday’s league trip to Crystal Palace, saying: “We will see how the progress will continue.”
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The Dutchman said Luke Shaw would not be involved in the cup tie either, adding of the England left-back, who has been sidelined by a calf issue: “He is progressing well.
“Of course we have a plan in our head when he can be ready. But you’re always dependent on how the progress will go and you can’t make a suggestion, because there are so many factors why a rehab plan can accelerate or slow down.”
Mazraoui and De Ligt’s fellow summer signing Manuel Ugarte could make his first United start after the midfielder came off the bench for his debut on Saturday.
And when Ten Hag was asked about the possibility of Antony starting, having made only one appearance – as a late substitute at Brighton – so far this term, he said: “(On Tuesday) you will see what the line-up will be.
“We have every day training and the players have to earn the right to play. When players do the right thing in training, when the attitude is good, when they show performance in training, they will earn the right to play.”
