Manchester United will take on Arsenal in the FA Cup 4th round this weekend and Solskjaer is expected to make a number of changes to his first XI.
United extend their winning run to seven last Saturday after a goal from Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford secured a 2-1 win against Brighton.
Both team beat lower-league opposition to reach round four, with Unai Emery’s side winning 3-0 at Blackpool and Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s side seeing off Reading 2-0 at home.
Arsenal – who have won the FA Cup a record 13 times – won the last time they faced United in this competition, with Danny Welbeck scoring the winning goal at Old Trafford in the sixth round as Arsène Wenger’s side went on to win the trophy.
Arsenal have been handed a huge blow ahead of their FA cup fourth round game against Manchester United on Friday night after Hector Bellerin was brought off on a stretcher in the second half of the Gunners’ Premier League match against Chelsea.
Bellerin was forced off on the 70-minute mark after going down following a challenge with Marcos Alonso, with the Arsenal right-back immediately writhing in agony with what appeared to be an injury to his left knee.
Mohamed Elneny replaced Bellerin after a delay as manager Unai Emery was seen offering words of encouragement to his stricken defender as he was stretchered off the field, with Elneny’s fellow substitute Ainsley Maitland-Niles replacing him as the right full-back.
The Spaniard had only just returned from a recent injury layoff to make his comeback in last weekend’s 1-0 defeat at West Ham – and was named in the starting lineup for the Chelsea game.
He had been absent with a calf injury since the 3-2 defeat at Southampton and it was his first start since that game on December 16.
Bellerin marked his return with an assist for Alexandre Lacazette’s opener as Arsenal moved into a two-goal first-half lead as Laurent Koscielny doubled their advantage.
For united , both Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez should return to the squad meaning Jesse Lingard and Anthony Martial could be rested.
Luke Shaw missed the win versus Brighton due to a late illness but the left-back should also return to the matchday squad vs Arsenal.
But right now the biggest concern for the caretaker boss should be with Marcus Rashford.
The England international has been in the form of his life ever since the Norwegian has taken charge of the club and against Brighton too, Marcus Rashford managed to put his name on the scoresheet.
But the forward also managed to pick up a knee injury during that game and some rumours have it that the in-form player might have to sit out the game vs Arsenal.
Marcus Rashford has scored during United’s last two games and it looks like the youngster is one of the first names on the scoresheet for the manager.
While some reports claim that Marcus Rashford should be fit to travel with the squad but it remains to be seen whether he will start the game or not.
Juan Mata is also expected to be named in the first XI but the manager would desperately want Marcus Rashford to be fit.
Some reports are suggesting that Marcus Rashford would make himself fit in time to face Arsenal but the medical staff at Manchester United are not ready to make a prediction right now.They want to take it one day at a time.
However, former Manchester United captain, Gary Neville, has admitted he is not convinced by the club’s winning run under new manager Ole Gunnar Solksjaer.
