While the focus will inevitably be on whether Aleksandar Mitrovic is available or not, Marco Silva’s Fulham will be missing two suspended stars for Sunday’s clash against Manchester United at Craven Cottage.
The in-form Serbian, who has nine Premier League goals to his name and leads the way with the number of shots on goal (52) and aerial duels won (62) in the top-flight, is a big injury doubt for the last Premier League game before the World Cup.
But while Fulham’s powerful number nine could yet prove his fitness, Kenny Tete and Harrison Reed are both guaranteed to miss out after picking up their fifth Premier League bookings of the season in Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.
Like Silva, Erik ten Hag has a suspension quandary of his own with Diogo Dalot suspended for the trip to west London following his fifth yellow card of the 2022-23 campaign during Sunday’s 3-1 win defeat to Aston Villa at Villa Park.
Although out-of-favour Aaron Wan-Bissaka is back in training, Ten Hag’s selection against Villa in tonight’s Carabao Cup clash is going to have a huge bearing on whether United’s number 29 is in the running to start at Craven Cottage.
With Victor Lindelof and Tyrell Malacia already filling in at right-back this season, the £50m signing from Crystal Palace, who has only played four minutes of football this season, could be given the clearest sign yet that there’s no way back for him under the former Ajax manager if he doesn’t feature in any of United’s last two matches before the World Cup.
Fulham will be missing two suspended stars against Manchester United
Bobby De Cordova-Reid, who missed the City defeat after serving a one-game suspension of his own, will likely come into the Fulham side to replace Tete at right-back.
But former Southampton youngster Reed has started every Premier League game for Fulham this season and has established a good partnership in the heart of the Cottagers’ midfield alongside summer signing Joao Palhinha.
Fulham’s club captain Tom Cairney, who has come on to replace Reed three times in the Premier League this season, could come into Silva’s midfield on Sunday.
Ten Hag’s side will come up against former Red Andreas Pereira who has made an impressive start to life at Fulham since joining the promoted side from United on a permanent deal in the summer.
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