Manchester United vs Leicester City preview - Carrick blow for United

Posted Saturday, January 31, 2015 by PA

Midfielder Michael Carrick has been ruled out for at least four weeks with a muscle injury and will therefore miss Manchester United's home game against Leicester on Saturday.

Wing-back Ashley Young is closing in on a return from a hamstring injury, but midfielder Darren Fletcher has been omitted from the squad as his transfer to West Ham nears completion.

Defenders Jonny Evans and Chris Smalling could return after missing the 0-0 draw against Cambridge.

Louis Van Gaal's team lost 5-3 against the Premier League newcomers in September despite being 3-1 up with 30 minutes to go.

The Old Trafford boss is determined his side will be fully focused on the task in hand when they host the Foxes again on Saturday.

"I learned from that game that when things are happening in the wrong way you have to control the game," he said.

"As a top club you have to control the match and when you are in a good result like 3-1 you have to control the match and you have to play and finish the match."

Matt Upson could make his first appearance in the Leicester squad after being sidelined since July with a foot injury.

Kasper Schmeichel is still out with his broken foot but is on course in his recovery while Chris Wood is unavailale because of ankle ligament damage.

Matty James is banned after his sending-off in the 1-0 win over Aston Villa earlier this month and Riyad Mahrez remains on African Nations Cup duty with Algeria.

Boss Nigel Pearson admits Leicester have been "trying to forget" their Manchester United heroics ever since that famous win.

The Foxes face a rematch with United when they go to Old Trafford on Saturday.

The amazing victory came before a 13-game winless streak and Leicester have failed to lift themselves off the bottom of the table after the run, despite winning two and drawing one of their last four league games.

And Pearson, who guided the Foxes to a 2-1 FA Cup win at Tottenham last week, insists they must ignore the reminders of the past and focus on the present.

He said: "We've been trying to forget about it ever since. It was great but until we beat Hull (in December) that was the last time we won.

"I think the best thing for us to do is concentrate on what we are doing at the moment.

"I don't know if it has affected anything. It obviously has as the question has been asked.

"I don't spend much time looking at those angles. The game at our place was a very good result for us, we had a very good second half and scored at vital times.

"But those are not the sort of events that happen every week."