Manchester United centre-back Phil Jones is reportedly not in contention to make a first-team comeback amid the Red Devils' defensive injury crisis.
Erik ten Hag is down to the bare bones at centre-back due to injuries to Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final with Sevilla last week.
Martinez went down with a metatarsal fracture in the dying embers of that 2-2 draw, being helped off the field by Argentina teammates Gonzalo Montiel and Marcos Acuna.
There were fears that Martinez had ruptured his Achilles, which did not prove to be the case, but he has nevertheless been ruled out for the rest of the season with his foot injury.
Meanwhile, Varane went down in the first half at Old Trafford before being withdrawn at half time, and the Red Devils have announced that the Frenchman will be out for a number of weeks.
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As a result, Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof are the only out-and-out centre-backs as Ten Hag's disposal, although Luke Shaw has also deputised in the heart of defence on occasion this season.
Shaw is currently dealing with a thigh problem too, though, while Maguire will sit out Sunday's FA Cup semi-final with Brighton & Hove Albion through suspension, having been booked for the second time in the current tournament against Fulham.
Should Shaw fail to recover from a hamstring injury in time for the Wembley trip, Lindelof will be Ten Hag's only centre-back option, leading to speculation that Jones could make a rare competitive appearance.
The 31-year-old has been plagued by injuries during the past couple of years, and he has not made a single appearance under Ten Hag during the current season.
According to The Athletic, Jones will not be considered for selection in the FA Cup in spite of Man United's wealth of absentees, as the ex-England international suffered a relapse of his serious knee problem on the first day of pre-season training.
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As a result, the defender has been unable to take part in a full practice session all season long, and he was left in "serious distress" at his cruel relapse, having spent the entire summer working on his physical condition.
Despite undergoing surgery in 2020 and consulting various knee specialists, Jones has been unable to shake off the problem and was not registered in Man United's Premier League or Europa League squads.
Without Jones in the ranks, Ten Hag could be forced into using Diogo Dalot or Aaron Wan-Bissaka centrally, although Casemiro and Scott McTominay could also be dropped deeper.
Jones made five appearances for Man United in all competitions during the 2021-22 season under Ralf Rangnick, starting two Premier League matches and completing the full 90 in a 1-0 loss to Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The Englishman has six goals and 10 assists under his belt from 229 games in a Man United shirt since leaving Blackburn Rovers in 2011, but he is expected to leave when his contract expires this summer, as the Red Devils have no intention of triggering his one-year extension.
Ben Knapton
