West Ham have been handed a boost ahead of tonight’s FA Cup fifth round tie with Manchester United at Old Trafford as Paul Pogba and Eric Bailly are ruled out of the clash.
Ahead of the match, Red Devils manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer told the club’s official website the pair wouldn’t be available for selection, giving the Hammers a timely lift.
Pogba in particular will be a huge miss for the hosts as the French midfielder has been instrumental in the recent resurgence in form for Manchester United. The 27-year-old scored in the second half turnaround against West Ham at the London Stadium back in December, earning a Sofascore rating of 7.8.
Irons manager David Moyes will be buoyed by the potential Old Trafford absentees, although he has fitness concerns of his own as Michail Antonio is suffering from fatigue, leaving him without a backup centre-forward to call upon.
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As the FA Cup reaches the business end of the competition, it’s probable that Solskjaer would like to have picked a full-strength side for the visit of the Hammers.
Pogba’s absence means that won’t be possible, whilst Bailly missing out will likely mean that Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof will continue at centre-back – a possible area of weakness for Moyes’ side to exploit, especially after their frailties were exposed yet again from set pieces over the weekend.
With Tomas Soucek available once more and Craig Dawson proving adept aerially in both penalty areas, the Hammers may target the heart of Manchester United’s defence.
