Five Man Utd players could miss Brighton FA Cup clash as Bryan Mbeumo update emerges
Manchester United interim manager Darren Fletcher will be without several key players for Sunday's FA Cup third-round tie against Brighton at Old Trafford
Manchester United are grappling with injuries and absences as they prepare for their FA Cup third-round clash against Brighton and Hove Albion on Sunday. Bryan Mbeumo, however, will continue to be absent as he returns to Manchester following Cameroon's quarter-final loss to Morocco.
Interim boss Darren Fletcher is set to oversee his second match since stepping in after the dismissal of Ruben Amorim. After a 2-2 draw with Burnley in the Premier League earlier this week, United are now aiming to secure a spot in the fourth round of the FA Cup.
It's still uncertain whether Bruno Fernandes, Kobbie Mainoo and Harry Maguire - all of whom made a comeback from injury at Turf Moor - will feature on Sunday.
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On a positive note, no new injuries have been reported ahead of the match, with Fletcher confirming: "We will have the same players available for the game against Burnley so no new additions. Bryan [Mbeumo] and Nous [Mazraoui] will not be available."
In other news, Amad's Ivory Coast team were eliminated from the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) following a 3-2 defeat to Mohamed Salah's Egypt in Saturday's quarter-final. Amad is expected to rejoin his United colleagues in the next few days.
With these updates in mind, Mirror Football has provided a rundown of the latest from the treatment room.
1 of 5 Matthijs de Ligt
Defender Matthijs de Ligt remains sidelined with a lower‐back problem.
The centre‐back has been out since November as he continues his recovery.
Possible return date: February/March 2026
(Image:PA)2 of 5 Bryan Mbeumo
Mbeumo will miss out as he returns to Manchester following his involvement at AFCON.
What Fletcher has said: "I don't think so, too close a turnaround from the tournament [for Mbeumo and Mazraoui].
Possible return date: vs Manchester City (H) - January 17
(Image:AP)3 of 5 Harry Maguire
The defender has recently returned from a thigh injury and was named on the bench for the match against Burnley. It's unclear whether he will feature against Brighton, with Fletcher keen to manage his workload.
What Fletcher has said: "He's been out for a while so we will be looking at his load and things like that. A decision has not been made [on his minutes] but when you see the players coming back the other night, you have seen Mason, Kobbie, Bruno, there has to be some understanding with their first minutes may have to be careful with that process to build back in. "So I think Harry will be in that situation for the weekend."
Possible return date: vs Brighton (H)
(Image:Getty Images)4 of 5 Noussair Mazraoui
Mazraoui is still on AFCON duty with Morocco after they reached the semi‐finals with a 2–0 win over Cameroon.
His side will face Nigeria next Wednesday for a place in the final.
Possible return date: Unknown.
(Image:AP)5 of 5 Amad
The 23-year-old is expected to reunite with his United teammates in the coming days.
Possible return date: vs Manchester City (H) - January 17
(Image:Paul Currie/Shutterstock)
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Source: Mirror
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