Cristiano Ronaldo was not a part of Manchester United’s squad for the FA Cup game against Aston Villa on Monday. Giving an update on the Portuguese talisman’s fitness, interim manager Ralf Rangnick added that Phil Jones and Jadon Sancho will also be missing the game. 

United look to bounce back from a demoralising  1-0 loss in the Premier League in the hands Wolverhampton last week when they lock horns with Steven Gerrard’s men.  

Interim manager Ralf Rangnick said Ronaldo was left out of the third-round match at Old Trafford as a precaution and that the injury wasn’t serious.

“I spoke with Cristiano yesterday before training, he told me that he had some problems for the last couple of days, some minor problems. In the end we decided to not take any risks in a cup game that could easily last 120 minutes,” the German coach said. 

“I wouldn’t say they are injured but they are having muscular problems,” he added. 

Ralf Rangnick also confirmed that Phil Jones and Jadon Sancho will be the other two stars who miss the game. 

“With Phil Jones he is having some minor problems on the calf. With Jadon, he was supposed to be in the squad. He had some issues with hamstrings on both sides.”

United’s next game is on Saturday also against Villa in the league.

Villa, on the other hand, look to be on the up under recently hired coach Steven Gerrard, whose Liverpool connections as a player should guarantee him a hostile reception at Old Trafford.

A signal of Villa’s rise to prominence is its ability to attract Brazilian playmaker Philippe Coutinho from Barcelona on loan until the end of the season. Coutinho, who played alongside Gerrard at Liverpool, could make his debut.

Manchester United XI : De Gea; Dalot, Lindelof, Varane, Shaw; McTominay, Fred; Greenwood, Fernandes; Rashford, Cavani.

Aston Villa XI : Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Targett; McGinn, Douglas Luiz, Ramsey; Buendia, Ings, Watkins.

With inputs from the Associated Press