Dong And Cathcart In The Squad

Two youngsters will be involved in tomorrow's FA Cup replay against Boro: Craig Cathcart and Dong Fangzhuo are waiting to make their first appearance in a United shirt.

The Red Devils aim to make life easier for journalists: if we win, they'll be able to write long articles assessing our chances of doing the Treble. I, personally, would be satisfied with a meagre Premiership title but ambitions are high at Old Trafford now.

Of course, individual aims can differ from the team's goals. For Dong Fangzhuo and Craig Cathcart the team's chance of winning trophies is not the most important right now: I daresay they focus on the chance of playing for United as both made the squad that will take on Middlesbrough tomorrow.

Both youngsters are highly promising though at 22, Dong is a little bit older than the usual hot prospects. They are unlikely to feature, thanks to a simple fact: still only 5 substitutes can be named on the bench. I won't say that even their involvement is the sign of Fergie's inclination to use youth - it's a sign of our injury situation. But maybe one of them will make the bench (we are short on strikers and defenders, too, right now) and if things go as planned, he may get some playing time.

Just 2 days after the brilliant performance against Bolton, we are unlikely to witness another storming display. I hope the lads will defy logic but the latter dictates that tiredness will prevail tomorrow. That means we won't be able to relax until the final whistle.

Having said that, I believe we'll squeeze through. 1-0 for United but Dong and Cathcart will not make their debuts.

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