Manchester United are confident Rasmus Hojlund will be one of three players ready to return for Sunday’s FA Cup quarter-final with Liverpool.
Rasmus Hojlund is closing in on his comeback from a muscle injury after positive updates from both Erik ten Hag and the striker’s Denmark national team boss, Kasper Hjulmand.

Ten Hag will throw Hojlund in from the start at Old Trafford if possible as United have often looked disjointed in attack without their spearhead.
Harry Maguire could return to the defence after missing the last three games through injury, while Aaron Wan-Bissaka is also touted to be fit for the first time since January.
"We had a good week,” Erik ten Hag said on Friday. “[Hojlund, Maguire and Wan-Bissaka] returned on the pitch, partly at the start of the week and today they had a session and are all training. I think [they will be fit to play].

United's sporting director? Yes, hello there everybody.

“Tomorrow we have one session. We have to see how they recover from this but it looks good."
Maguire returning would allow United to take Jonny Evans out of the firing line. The Northern Ireland veteran will sit out the coming internationals to look after a niggling issue in his calf muscle.

Victor Lindelof could also drop out having acted as a makeshift full-back in the absence of Wan-Bissaka, Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia.
Mason Mount is not expected to feature despite returning to training this week, following four months out with a muscle injury.
Ten Hag will update fans on his plans to face Liverpool during Friday’s pre-match press conference.
Predicted Man Utd XI: Onana; Dalot, Varane, Maguire, Lindelof; Mainoo, Casemiro; Garnacho, Fernandes, Rashford; Hojlund
Doubts: Hojlund, Maguire, Wan-Bissaka, Forson, Mount
Injuries: Martinez, Malacia, Shaw, Martial
Time and date: 3.30pm GMT, Sunday March 17, 2024
Venue: Old Trafford
TV channel: ITV1
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Man Utd could lose £38m on Sancho as club give up on repairing his relationship with Ten Hag

Manchester United could lose out on £38million, with Borussia Dortmund prepared to lodge a bid of £35million for Jadon Sancho, who won’t be back under Erik ten Hag, as United have stopped trying to repair that relationship.
Sancho’s United career was brought to a halt just four games into the campaign. Indeed, the winger featured off the bench in the first three Premier League matches, but Ten Hag believed he was not pushing himself hard enough in training to feature in the fourth.
That led to public backlash from Sancho, who called out his manager for his comments, and he was suspended by United until he apologised for his retort in the public eye.
That never came, and he was loaned back to his former side Borussia Dortmund in January. A full sale was impossible, as United would have been looking for near the £73million they paid for him, and the German outfit could not afford that.
Now, though, they are seemingly willing to pay a fee for Sancho, but it’ll see United take a £38million hit, as The Sun reports Dortmund are ready to offer £35million to keep him permanently.
It has previously been revealed that Sancho does not want to return to Old Trafford while Ten Hag is still there.
While some reports have stated Sir Jim Ratcliffe might welcome the winger back into the fold, that obviously becomes difficult if the manager is still in his job come the summer.
Related video: Ranked! The 10 Best Manchester United Players Ever (Dailymotion)

Now, it seems the new part-owner has accepted that decision, as The Sun states United chiefs have ‘given up on any reconciliation between Ten Hag and Sancho’.
It’s suggested United are therefore ‘ready’ to accept Dortmund’s low offer in order to get the attacker off the books.
Whether or not that changes if Ten Hag is sacked by the club remains to be seen. Sancho is reaching form, having scored twice in the last week, one of those goals helping Dortmund through to the Champions League quarter-finals.
As such, there seems hope of him coming good at whatever club he plays for, and given he’s still on the books at United for the moment, they’ll take that into consideration.
Further to that, Ten Hag’s future at Old Trafford does not seem certain, with reports recently suggesting Ratcliffe has ‘decided to fire’ the boss, so changes could conceivably be made to their plan.
READ MORE: Man Utd, Rashford transfer unlikely despite ‘irrefutable offer’ claim as PSG pursue ‘big superstar signing’

Explained: How Man Utd poaching CEO Omar Berrada from Man City has improved relations between two bitter rivals

• United appointed Berrada as CEO
• Decision shocked Man City
• Exchange mending clubs' relationship

WHAT HAPPENED?

Berrada's extensive experience at City, where he served for 12 years and most recently held the position of chief football operations officer, brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise which prompted United to get him on board. According to Daily Mail, when United approached City with their proposal about recruiting Berrada before Christmas, they received unexpected cooperation from their neighbours.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Omar Berrada Man City staff
© Provided by GOAL
While there has been a clear desire from figures like Sir Jim Ratcliffe to challenge City's dominance, there's also recognition of the benefits of Manchester having two strong clubs with amicable professional relationships. Hence, despite being on gardening leave from his former club, Berrada has been allowed to familiarise himself with his new colleagues at Old Trafford. This suggests a potential shift towards a more collaborative approach between the crosstown rivals.

DID YOU KNOW?

The surprise nature of Berrada's departure for United reportedly sent shockwaves through City's ranks and in Abu Dhabi, where the club was conducting a warm-weather training camp. However, chief executive Ferran Soriano and director of football Txiki Begiristain were aware of the development.

WHAT NEXT?

20240309 Erik ten Hag
© Provided by GOAL
Berrada is expected to commence his duties at Old Trafford in the summer ahead of the 2024-25 season. His arrival may coincide with the appointment of a new sporting director, and he might have to make a pivotal decision regarding the future of Erik ten Hag, whose contract with United expires in 2025, if the team fails to achieve a European spot for next season.
Related video: Ranked! The 10 Best Manchester United Players Ever (Dailymotion)

Man Utd's Andre Onana told manager has shown him "a lack of respect" by Liverpool flop

Liverpool flop El Hadji Diouf has accused former Cameroon boss Rigobert Song of disrespecting Andre Onana.
The Manchester United goalkeeper has endured a difficult season for both his club and country. Onana made a number of high-profile errors after arriving at Old Trafford from Italian giants Inter Milan. That led to calls that he should be dropped for the Red Devils and Cameroon for the African Cup of Nations earlier this year, particularly after Onana linked up with his international teammates late.

He eventually made just one appearance at the tournament, a decision that former Liverpool forward Diouf believes was a mistake. Speaking to Canal+, he said: “André Onana is someone I respect a lot and I congratulate him for what he does and his commitment to his team.
“How can you have a goalkeeper of Onana’s calibre, an immense talent who plays for Manchester United and not play him in the round of 16 game? For me, it’s a lack of respect and if I were a player, I wouldn’t agree with that.”
It's quite the contrast for Diouf, who during the tournament had queried the decision from Cameroon to allow Onana to link up late with the squad.
Then he said, according to Foot Mercato: “Cameroon have gone backwards. These days, I’m in pain for the Cameroon fans and Cameroon people.
"They say they are the continent, but it’s more the continental hotel, because they are sitting back on their history. To see their goalkeeper arriving two days before a game. That would be unacceptable for Senegal.”
El Hadji Diouf
© Getty Images
How would you rate Andre Onana's signing out of ten? Share your thoughts in the comments below
Onana has since opened up on the troubles he stumbled into during his first few months at Man United. At one point, he was on the receiving end of some scathing criticism from a youth player at the club's Carrington training ground, being asked "are you going to save one or what?" following a string of unsaved shots in training. That brutal comment came after a difficult showing in the Red Devils’ 3-3 draw with Galatasaray in the Champions League.
Related video: “I told Salah not to defend!” -Liverpool striker plays 90 minutes (AS USA)

Always a special story today because there's not a plan

He explained that his early issues were simply a case of adaptation.
“It was a difficult time for me,” said Onana. “Now I'm feeling a bit better. I already know the goalkeeper that I am, but it took me six months or seven months not to play good, just to feel good. When I moved from Amsterdam to Milan, that adaptation was quite easy. But it took me seven, eight months here. It was just time to learn and go game by game.
“Everything was new, it was difficult for me to feel at home, for so many reasons, in a new country. It was just moments. Sometimes you're faced with a difficult situation, just not feeling good, not playing good, because I didn’t think I started to play good. So, it was just something strange, but it was a good time for me to learn. Because I learned a lot at that time.
“Playing in the final of the Champions League for Inter and being knocked out in the first stage a few months later, was a big lesson for me. Now I think I have everything on my back, learn from it, move on and try to be happy. That is the most important thing.”


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Football fans furious with UEFA decision on Arsenal and Man City's Champions League quarter-finals

Arsenal and Manchester City's Champions League quarter-final matches will take place on THE SAME NIGHT - leaving football fans with a choice to make.
The Gunners will tackle Bayern Munich - with the first leg at the Emirates Stadium - in their last eight tie, while Man City meet Real Madrid - for the third successive season - in theirs. Pep Guardiola's men will play the first round away from home.

Friday's draw put the Premier League pair on a collision course, with the winners of the two ties set to meet in the semi-finals. Atletico Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund and PSG vs Barcelona are the matches on the opposite side of the draw.
And UEFA confirmed on Friday night that the two opposite sides of the draw would be separate when it comes to when they are played as well. That means Arsenal and Man City will play their first games on Tuesday, April 9, with the second ones on Wednesday, April 17. All are 8pm kickoffs UK time.
The other quarter-finals will happen on April 10 and April 16.
Needless to say, some fans are furious at this turn of events.
One unhappy fan noted: "Arsenal vs Bayern and Real Madrid vs Man City on the same night! What a ridiculous decision from UEFA. Spanish police obviously objected to Real and Atletico playing the same night, understandably, but UEFA should have reversed the Atletico tie like they did to Inter last year."
Another asked: "Why on earth have UEFA put Arsenal vs Bayern and Man City vs Real Madrid on the same night??? Annoying."
Harry Kane, red hot for Bayern this season, is returning to London to face Arsenal
© Reach Publishing Services Limited
A third raged: "Absolute scandal they've put Arsenal v Bayern and Madrid v City on the same night."
A fourth added: "Freaking hell Arsenal and Man City match on the same night. Why?", while another declared: "UEFA clearly don't like money. How can Arsenal and City ties be on the same night+time."
Related video: City boss Guardiola reflects on UCL progress as City draw Madrid (Daily Mail)

Either just come back to the Champions League draw.

Another supporter said: "Arsenal vs Bayern and Madrid vs City on the same night and time, is just annoying. They don't have to play on the same night just because they're on the same side of the map lol, surely this is something UEFA and broadcasters could have worked on."
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Rashford 'should be part of this project' - Ten Hag

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag says the club did not go to the trouble of getting Marcus Rashford to sign a long-term contract just so they could sell him in the summer.
Rashford signed a new deal until 2028 in July but his future at the club has become a hot topic.
"He should be part of this project," said Ten Hag. "It is not a subject we talk about."


Rashford has scored seven goals in 27 Premier League appearances this season.
"We did not sign him last season for five years with the intention to sell him now," added Ten Hag.
The 26-year-old Rashford has endured a difficult campaign on and off the pitch.
In January he was disciplined by Ten Hag after going out without permission on a trip to Belfast. Rashford then reported an illness that prevented him from training on his return from Northern Ireland.
That combination of ill-discipline and loss of form has led to speculation about a move away from Old Trafford.
French giants Paris St-Germain have repeatedly been linked with Rashford in the wake of Kylian Mbappe's expected move to Real Madrid, even though United sources have rubbished the chances of an approach.
However, the talk has been given credence by the knowledge United are restricted in their transfer dealings by the Premier League's financial rules and the best way of creating space would be to sell a home-grown player because the entire fee would be treated as pure profit.


Rashford's goals output has increased recently, scoring five times in his last 11 appearances and finding the net in United's last two games.
It is over a year since he scored in three successive matches, although Ten Hag could do with that run ending in Sunday's FA Cup quarter-final against Liverpool - a side that beat them 7-0 in March 2023 and are still on track to win four competitions.
"Some games are bigger than others," said Ten Hag. "Manchester United-Liverpool is definitely big, especially when it's the quarter-final of the FA Cup.
"We're looking forward. It's a special game, absolutely."

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Xabi Alonso thinks ‘it’s clear’ Liverpool are Europa League favourites above his own Leverkusen side

Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso thinks “it’s clear” that Liverpool are “favourites” to win the Europa League after breezing through the last round.
The Reds absolutely hammered Sparta Prague in the round of 16 to reach the quarter-finals. Indeed, Jurgen Klopp’s side won the tie 11-2 on aggregate, bagging five goals in the first leg and six in the second.

After the match, Sparta manager Brian Priske suggested the “world-class” Reds “are a Champions League team” that could be on course to win the Premier League this season.
That they’ve reached the UCL final in three of the last six years backs up that statement, and means they’re sure to be most people’s pick to win the Europa League.
That is certainly true of Alonso – who they are targeting to be their next manager – as he feels it’s obvious people expect them to romp to the trophy now, as he does himself.
“For me it’s clear, I really see Liverpool as the favourites to win the Europa League,” he said.
The Reds are odds on favourites, but Alonso’s own Leverkusen side are second. The Spaniard’s club pulled off a spectacular last-gasp win over Qarabag in the last round to preserve their unbeaten record this campaign.
After drawing 2-2 in the first leg, the Bundesliga leaders were 4-3 down on aggregate after 90 minutes, before a 95th minute Patrik Schick goal saw them go level, and the Czech striker capped off the heroics with a winner four minutes later.
Related video: Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso on reaching UEFA Europa League quarters with last gasp win over Qarabag (Dailymotion)

Leverkusen will face Liverpool’s Premier League rivals West Ham, while the Reds themselves will face off against Serie A side Atalanta.
The two clubs are on opposite sides of the draw, which means if they are to meet, it will be in the final. As such, Alonso’s side will know they’re in for a massive challenge, with their own manager expecting his former side should come out on top.
But if they do get to that point, he’ll be able to motivate the team with the knowledge that everyone thinks they are the going to come out second best, and that’s not gone against them this season.
Leverkusen have never won the Bundesliga, but are 10 points clear of Bayern Munich at the top of the table, so if they can overcome the serial winners, then Liverpool won’t be a dissimilar challenge.
READ MORE: Klopp says ‘sorry’ to referee after Liverpool star was given special treatment – ‘I told him don’t defend’