Manchester United vs Middlesbrough: Louis van Gaal confirms Antonio Valencia injury

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has ruled out Antonio Valencia for the Capital One Cup fourth round against Middlesbrough on Wednesday night (28 October) after the versatile player sustained a foot injury during the draw with Manchester City earlier in October. The Dutch boss has included James Wilson and Andreas Pereira in the squad but refused to confirm whether the two academy youngsters will be in the starting line-up.

The Premier League giants take on the Championship side as they look to book their place in the quarter-finals of the League Cup after they were knocked out in the second round by MK Dons in the 2014-15 season. Van Gaal is determined to fight for the title in his second campaign at Old Trafford but suggested that he may need to make some changes in his starting line-up after admitting several players are in the "red zone" in terms of their fitness.

"Of course, Valencia is injured, that we could all see," Van Gaal said to MUTV. "But I have a lot of players in the 'red zone' because we have had a lot of matches and we have a lot of matches to play. I have to see if I can use them or not. I have to decide tomorrow [28 October]. We need all the days to recover at this moment, so it is difficult to say."

The Dutch manager does have options with the squad's youngsters, and Wilson and Pereira could play a part against the Championship side. "Yes, of course they are in the selection [the squad]," he confirmed. "But I have to select the line-up and that I don't know. I have to do that on Wednesday."

Wilson has only made one late cameo appearance in the current campaign in the Premier League defeat against Arsenal after being close to leave the team during the summer transfer window. Meanwhile, the Brazilian starlet scored a sensational free-kick in the previous Capital One Cup round against Ipswich Town but has since failed to make any Premier League appearances.