• FA Cup

Van Persie and Shaw fit for United's Cambridge trip

Robin van Persie is fit to return for Manchester United when they face Cambridge in the FA Cup on Friday.

The striker, who missed the 2-0 win against QPR with an ankle injury, is back in contention, along with left-back Luke Shaw.

But United are without centre-backs Chris Smalling and Jonny Evans, as well as Ashley Young, whose hamstring problem could keep him out for another month.

Robin van Persie limped off during Manchester United's defeat to Southampton © Getty Images

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"We have to wait until training but Ashley Young, Chris Smalling and Jonny Evans are out for sure," Van Gaal told MUTV. "Robin van Persie is available, Luke Shaw is also available."

Van Persie is United's eight-goal joint top-scorer and, in his absence, Radamel Falcao came back into the team at QPR to partner Angel Di Maria in attack.

Shaw, who had returned from an ankle injury in the 1-0 defeat to Southampton, did not figure in the matchday 18 at Loftus Road on Saturday.

Goalkeeper Victor Valdes, who was signed earlier this month after 10 weeks' training with United, is tipped to make his debut against Cambridge, but Van Gaal remained tight-lipped as to whether he will give David De Gea a rest.

"I cannot answer these questions because then I give you my line-up and that I don't want," he said in his news conference.

Evans and Smalling have both had injury-hit seasons and United will be missing two of their taller players as Van Gaal expects to face a physically imposing side in League Two Cambridge.

"When you see Cambridge and analyse Cambridge, they play very direct with long balls, there are five or six players above 1m 90cms, so it is difficult to defend for us," he added.

"That is why you have to prepare yourself very well. It is not so easy to beat Cambridge.

"It is always tough to play against [teams like them] because in the players' mind it is a weaker team but it is not like that. It is another opponent with another playing style and other players and we have to beat them because when you lose the game you are out.

"We prepare our matches the same way because it is very good we have a process to the game and the players are adapted to that process already after six months.

"They have to play also in our philosophy against a team who has played like Yeovil [United's last FA Cup opponents] but also QPR [because] the last game was more or less how Cambridge also played."

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