'I still don't know' - Man Utd star fears he will miss FA Cup final against Man City
Harry Maguire is an injury doubt for the FA Cup final (Picture: talkSPORT)
Manchester United defender Harry Maguire says he ‘still doesn’t know’ if he will be fit for the FA Cup final against Manchester City.
The 31-year-old missed United’s final four Premier League games of the season with a muscular injury and says he is ‘touch and go’ to return at Wembley this weekend.
Manchester United will bid to end a dismal season on a high and win their second trophy under struggling manager Erik ten Hag on Sunday, but face a Manchester City side who last week clinched a fourth successive league title.
Man City became the first team to win four Premier League titles in a row and could make more history at Wembley as the first team to win back-to-back league and FA Cup doubles.
Ten Hag has been dealing with a defensive injury crisis in recent weeks, with Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez, Willy Kambwala and Maguire all absent for various periods of time.
Maguire, who was named in England’s provisional Euro 2024 squad this week, is desperate to prove his fitness ahead of Sunday’s FA Cup final but admits he may miss out as he continues his rehabilitation.
‘Obviously it’s disappointing and a frustrating time to get injured,’ Maguire told talkSPORT. ‘I still don’t know if I’m going to be fit.
Man Utd face rivals Man City in this weekend’s FA Cup final (Pictures: Getty)
‘It’s going to be a late one. I’m hoping to be fit for the squad for the cup final but it will be touch and go.’
Maguire has missed 16 Premier League games through injury this season and says he may need to alter his training and workload after the ‘frustrating’ campaign.
‘It’s probably the first time in my career that I’ve had a few muscle injuries throughout the season,’ he said. ‘It is frustrating and it feels different.
‘You always want to play so maybe I need to look at how I’m managing myself and stuff like that.’
Asked what it would mean to win another trophy for Manchester United, Maguire added: ‘It would mean absolutely everything.
‘Playing for this club demands winning trophies. We did that last year and we’ve given ourselves an opportunity at the end of a difficult season to get another one. That’s what our focus is on right now.’
It is not just bragging rights and the FA Cup trophy at stake for Manchester United, who will also qualify for Europe if they produce an upset against Manchester City.
Victory for United would see them compete in the Europa League next season, with Chelsea dropping into the Conference League and Newcastle missing out altogether despite finishing higher in the Premier League.
But history is not on United’s side as City have won six of the past seven meetings between the two sides, scoring 21 goals and conceding just eight.
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