Two Man Utd stars confirmed to start against Real Betis despite suspension risk

Erik ten Hag says Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes will both start against Real Betis on Thursday despite being a yellow card away from suspension.

United have a commanding lead in their last 16 tie having sealed a 4-1 win over the La Liga side at Old Trafford last Thursday.

Fernandes and Casemiro are both a booking away from picking up a suspension that would rule them out of the first leg of the Europa League quarter-finals – should United make it to the last eight.

The Brazilian midfielder missed a crucial game against Arsenal in similar circumstances in January, picking up a booking in a game against Crystal Palace four days earlier.

Despite the temptation to rest key stars with an FA Cup quarter-final with Fulham also looming on Sunday, ten Hag insists both players will start tomorrow night in Seville.

They will play,’ ten Hag told a press conference on Wednesday.

‘It is a very good opponent, last week we had a good result but we have to go again and we need our best players. We need a win and we need our best team.’

United will be without winger Alejandro Garnacho for Thursday’s game with the 18-year-old winger facing weeks on the sidelines as the result of the ankle injury suffered in the goalless draw against Southampton.

‘He [Garnacho] will be back before the end of the season,’ ten Hag said of the youngster. ‘We need to get him back as soon as possible and we hope he is ready.’

Antony has also not travelled to Spain with ten Hag confirming the Brazil international misses out through illness. Anthony Martial is another who has not made the trip.

With Casemiro facing a four-game domestic ban, United’s squad will be stretched to its limits for the season run-in but ten Hag is hopeful he has the options at his disposal to continue delivering results.

“We can manage. We have players that can recover good in between games. We are in contact with medical and performance about what players can handle. We can mix it.

‘When we are going into the final stages of the season, we can bring our best team.’