Full Man Utd squad available to Michael Carrick for Man City clash after double boost

View 2 Images

Manchester United have little time to dwell on their FA Cup third round exit following a 2-1 home defeat to Premier League rivals Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday afternoon, which has seen them bow out of the competition.

The match may have been Darren Fletcher's last as caretaker manager, with the club nearing a decision on Ruben Amorim's successor. United are set to appoint an interim manager until the season's end, with former midfielder Michael Carrick emerging as the frontrunner for the role.

Should his appointment be confirmed, Carrick's first test will be the Manchester Derby against Manchester City at Old Trafford. The game will kick off at 12.30pm on Saturday.

In the lead-up to the clash, United have received a double boost regarding player availability. Three of their stars - Bryan Mbeumo , Noussair Mazraoui and Amad - were involved in Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final action this week, with Mbeumo's Cameroon facing Mazraoui's Morocco and Amad's Ivory Coast taking on Nigeria.

Defeats for both Cameroon and the Ivory Coast mean that two of the three players - Mbeumo and Amad, will return to Carrington in time for the weekend's game against City, making them likely contenders for selection.

Mazraoui, however, won't be available due to Morocco's progression to the semi-finals of the tournament. Their final four match against Nigeria is set for Wednesday night, with an 8pm kick-off.

View 2 Images

If they triumph, they'll face either Senegal or Egypt in the tournament final on Sunday. However, even if they fall short, Morocco will still compete in the third-place play-off on Saturday.

United are doing well on the injury front, with centre-back Matthijs de Ligt being the only current concern. The defender has been sidelined for the past nine matches due to a back injury, making his participation in the upcoming match uncertain.

Following his dismissal against Brighton on Sunday, young winger Shea Lacey will serve his one-match ban during the weekend clash with City. The 18-year-old was given his marching orders after receiving a second yellow card with just one minute of normal time remaining.

Goalkeepers : Senne Lammens, Altay Bayindir, Tom Heaton.

Defenders : Diogo Dalot, Harry Maguire , Lisandro Martinez, Tyrell Malacia, Patrick Dorgu, Leny Yoro, Luke Shaw , Ayden Heaven, Tyler Fredricson, Diego Leon.

Midfielders : Mason Mount , Bruno Fernandes , Casemiro, Manuel Ugarte, Kobbie Mainoo .

Forwards : Matheus Cunha, Joshua Zirkzee, Amad, Bryan Mbeumo, Benjamin Sesko, Chido Obi.

Doubtful : Matthijs de Ligt.