FA Cup team news and prediction: Man Utd vs West Ham

 

Manchester United and West Ham will be looking to bounce back from disappointing results at the weekend when they lock horns in the FA Cup fifth round.

 

Ahead of this evening's all-Premier League affair, we have all your need-to-know matchday information in one place, including team news, probable XIs and where you can catch the game.

 

When is kick off?
Tuesday 9th February, 19:30 GMT
Where is the match?
Old Trafford, Manchester
Where can I watch it?
BBC One / BBC iPlayer

 

Route to FA Cup 5th round

 

Manchester United's welcome of West Ham will be their third home tie in a row in the FA Cup this season. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side overcame Championship side Watford 1-0 in the third round before edging rivals Liverpool in a five-goal thriller last time out in the competition.

 

West Ham have yet to test themselves against anything above League One in the FA Cup this season. They were handed a kind third round tie with non-league Stockport County before swatting aside League One Doncaster 4-0 last time out in the competition. They are yet to concede in this season's FA Cup.

 

Team News

 

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has confirmed Paul Pogba is out for a few weeks after suffering a thigh injury on Saturday, while Eric Bailly is unlikely to recover in time to return on Tuesday. Solskjaer described Mason Greenwood as the standout performer against Everton and he has netted in the last two meetings between the two sides. Anthony Martial will hope for a recall after dropping below Edinson Cavani in the pecking order. Solskjaer is contemplating resting captain Harry Maguire but surely they need his aerial ability against Tomas Soucek. Dean Henderson will replace David de Gea in goal, while the likes of Nemanja Matic and Alex Telles will hope to feature.

 

West Ham will be without Jesse Lingard on Tuesday night due to the terms in his loan agreement with Manchester United, though he won't be able to feature in the competition at all even if the Hammers progress having already played in it for his parent club. David Moyes has been boosted by confirmation the club's appeal against Tomas Soucek's red card at the weekend was successful. He is now free to play but Moyes is unsure whether to risk star striker Michail Antonio owing to fitness concerns.

 

Probable XIs:

 

FA Cup team news and prediction: Man Utd vs West Ham

 

Man Utd (4231): Henderson; Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Telles; McTominay, Matic; Greenwood, Fernandes, Rashford; Cavani

 

West Ham (4231): Fabianski; Coufal, Dawson, Ogbonna, Cresswell; Soucek, Rice; Bowen, Fornals, Benrahma; Antonio

 

Key Battle: Scott McTominay vs Tomas Soucek

 

FA Cup team news and prediction: Man Utd vs West Ham

 

Knowing West Ham are a physical side, Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is expected to beef up his midfield with Scott McTominay and Nemanja Matic anchoring things. The former has emerged as a really important player for United this season and he will be tasked with trying to keep Tomas Soucek quiet. An aerial duel success rate of 63.2% is more efficient than Soucek but it should be said the West Ham midfielder contests far more. Nevertheless, there is no doubt McTominay is the most capable of United's midfielders to handle Soucek's threat. Moreover, McTominay is on a decent scoring run at Old Trafford with goals in three of his last four appearances at home.

 

It was never in doubt West Ham would overturn Tomas Soucek's red card from the weekend but David Moyes could properly start to plan how to exploit United at the back on Monday afternoon when official confirmation came through. Only Leeds (11) have conceded more goals from set-pieces (excluding penalties) than United (9) in the Premier League this season and Soucek is clearly the West Ham dangerman from those positions. No midfielder has scored more goals in the Premier League than Soucek (11) since his debut for the Hammers in January last year.

 

Scoreline prediction: Man Utd 2-1 West Ham

FA Cup team news and prediction: Man Utd vs West Ham