2024-25 FA Cup: Fourth Round – Man Utd v Leicester

Manchester United host Leicester City in the opening match of the fourth round in 2024-25 FA Cup. 

Both Man Utd and Leicester are looking to avoid a second fourth-round exit in four seasons.

 

Team News

Lisandro Martinez is ruled out for Man Utd with a potentially season-ending knee injury, which he suffered in their league loss at home to Crystal Palace last weekend.

Jonny Evans (muscle), Mason Mount (leg) and Luke Shaw (unspecified) are still sidelined.

New signings, Patrick Dorgu and Ayden Heaven could make their debuts.

Leicester have some doubts over unnamed players following their 4-0 Premier League loss at Everton.

Wilfred Ndidi (hamstring) could return but Abdul Fatawu (ACL) and Ricardo Pereira (muscle) remain absent.

 

When is Kick-Off?

Man Utd host Leicester at Old Trafford on Friday 7 February at 8pm GMT, live on ITV1 in the UK.

 

Stat Attack

• Man Utd have won two of their three previous FA Cup meetings against Leicester (W2, L1).
• Leicester are playing their first FA Cup tie away to Man Utd at Old Trafford, having previously met at Wembley in 1962-63 Final then twice at home.
• Neither team are yet to keep a clean sheet in their FA Cup meetings.
• United are unbeaten in their last ten FA Cup meetings at home to fellow top-flight opposition (W9, D1).
• Leicester have lost one of their last four away FA Cup trips to fellow top-flight opposition (W2, D1, L1).

 

Prediction

Despite an improved attacking performance against Palace, Utd just lacked creativity and accurate composure in their end product and were ultimately outclassed through some defensive errors.

Leicester though were just defensively outclassed in the first half with awful marking and backtracking against long passes from Everton’s back lines, whilst their attack was just lacklustre until too late but still lacked that sharp edge to try and salvage a goal.

Although Leicester boss, Ruud Van Nistelrooy knows this United squad well from his brief interim spell in charge, I just can’t see his Foxes having the defensive quality to beat Utd but they might be good for a goal if can step up in attack.

Prediction: Man Utd 3-1 Leicester

Result: Man Utd 2-1 Leicester