We’ve hit the fourth round of the FA Cup, and it’s bringing us a fun and fascinating matchup. Manchester United come into this game against Championship side Derby County struggling for consistency and quality, and following their most recent loss manager Louis Van Gaal reportedly tried to resign from his post. “Tried” being the operative word, because according to those reports, his attempt to walk away was refused by his superiors -- on the condition that his tenure would be evaluated based on this match.
Manchester United vs. Derby County 2016 live stream: Time, TV schedule and how to watch the FA Cup online
Manchester United are headed to Pride Park to take on Derby County with Louis Van Gaal set to be “assessed” to see if he keeps his job.
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That puts a lot of extra meaning into a relatively early-round FA Cup match between a traditional Premier League power and a second-tier side normally holds. Adding to the excitement and intrigue is that despite recently-shaky form, Derby are a very good side with a lot of talent in their attack and midfield. They cannot be taken lightly in any way, because the way they play and the talent sets they bring are an excellent foil for Van Gaal’s United team. A win here would be counted as a huge upset and a showing of “the Magic of the Cup,” but it also shouldn’t be counted as a surprise under the circumstances.
Key player -- Michael Carrick (Manchester United)
Carrick has the ability to help set the tempo and help keep Manchester’s midfield ticking over, and in a match like this that will be very important. They need to play keep-away to keep Derby’s quick-trigger attack at bay as much as possible, and Carrick will be at the center of that possession-driven effort. There are times when Carrick gets sloppy and is not nearly as helpful as you would like to see, though, and if that happens in this match it is going to put a lot of pressure on his team’s midfield and defense.
Key matchup -- Chris Martin (Derby County) vs. Chris Smalling (Manchester United)
For better or for worse, Smalling has been Manchester’s best defender this season. The “better” comes when Smalling is on his game, taking on all comers with ease and giving his team a secure presence at the back -- the “worse” when he’s indecisive, makes the wrong decisions, and costs his teammates dearly. Which side of the coin he lands on is unpredictable, and there’s not much middle ground for him either. With Smalling facing off with a striker in Martin who’s incredibly opportunistic and exploitative of any weakness shown, Manchester fans will be desperately hopeful of him landing on the “better” side.
Derby County injuries and suspensions
Out: Will Hughes, Craig Forsyth
Manchester United injuries and suspensions
Out: Ashley Young, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Nick Powell, Phil Jones, Marcos Rojo, Antonio Valencia, Luke Shaw
Match Date/Time: Friday, 2:55 p.m. ET, 7:55 p.m. local
Venue: Pride Park Stadium, Derby, England
TV: Fox Sports 1 (U.S. - English), Fox Deportes (U.S. - Spanish), Sportsnet World (Canada), BBC One (U.K.)
Online: Fox Soccer 2 Go, Fox Sports Go (U.S.), Sportsnet World Now (Canada)
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