SEVILLE, Spain — Erik Ten Hag, despite the threat of suspension, said he is willing to risk Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro against Real Betis on Thursday.
Manchester United’s midfield pairing are one point away from missing the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final should Ten Haag’s side progress.
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United beat Betis 4-1 in the first leg in Manchester, but Ten Hag insisted Fernandez and Casemiro, who was handed a four-game domestic ban after receiving a red card against Southampton on Sunday, will play in Spain.
“They will play both because it’s a very good opponent,” Ten Haag said at a press conference on Wednesday. “We had a good result last week, but you need your best players, we need results, we need wins.”
United are without Anthony as the winger misses the trip to Sevilla due to illness. Alejando Garnacho was also sidelined during the goalless draw with Southampton with an ankle injury, but Ten Haag say the teenager is hopeful of returning before the end of the season.
“It’s going to take a few weeks so it’s a serious injury,” the United boss added. “After Christian Eriksen, another serious injury. “He will be back before the end of the season.
“He has to deal with it, deal with setbacks and come back before the end of the season. We need to win a lot, so he needs to be ready as soon as possible.”
Garnacho is United’s latest long-term injury replacement after Eriksen and Donnie van de Beek. Anthony Martial has also missed most of the campaign and, according to Ten Haag, injuries have prevented him from naming his starting XI in all but one game this season – the 2-1 win over Manchester City at Old Trafford in January.
“Looking at the whole season, we’ve had setbacks every time we’ve dealt with it,” Ten Hag said. “It’s about the players available and every time there’s a team on the pitch that will do it.
“One game we had a full team available and I could pick my team for a tactically perfect approach and that was against Man City at home this season and another time a player was suspended, injured or ill.
“We have to fight him well, but Arsenal always have their full squad available.”
