Could Tranmere Rovers do it again?
After knocking out Watford in their FA Cup third round replay on Thursday night, a game which seemingly everyone forgot about due to the game being reorganised because of waterlogging, and the cracker between Wolves and Liverpool, their attentions swiftly turn to the not so mighty Manchester United.
After their dire display against Burnley on Wednesday night, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be searching for some respite against a side who were beaten 7-0 by Spurs in this competition last season and are currently struggling in League One - failing to win in the league since Christmas.
Despite the inferior opposition, this fixture has come at such a bad time for Solskjaer and United, they simply have nothing to gain. Tranmere, meanwhile, have absolutely nothing to lose.
Where to Watch
| When is Kick Off? | Sunday 26 January |
| What Time is Kick Off? | 15:00 (BST) |
| Where is it Played? | Prenton Park |
| TV Channel/Live Stream | BT Sport 1 |
| Referee | Lee Mason |
Team News
All of the Tranmere squad will be looking for a quick recovery after their extra-time victory on Thursday night.
There are no fresh injury concerns for manager Micky Mellon.
Solskjaer, meanwhile, is expected to rotate his side ahead of the second leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final against City on Tuesday night - although the Red Devils find themselves 3-1 down on aggregate.
Nevertheless, United could welcome back Victor Lindelof for Sunday's fixture after the Swedish international missed the midweek defeat at Old Trafford.
And despite concerns over the state of the Prenton Park pitch, the injury-prone Eric Bailly could make his return to the starting 11 - the Ivorian was an unused substitute against Liverpool and Burnley.
Marcus Rashford, Scott McTominay and Paul Pogba, of course, remain out for the foreseeable future.
Predicted Lineups
| Tranmere | Davies; Caprice, Clarke, Monthe, Ridehalgh; Gilmour, Perkins; Morris, Jennings, Blackett-Taylor; Mullin. |
| United | Romero; Dalot, Lindelof, Bailly, Williams; Matic, Fred; Mata, Lingard, Gomes; Greenwood. |
Head-to-Head Record
This will be just the second time these two have met in a competitive fixture. The first meeting came way back in 1976, with the Red Devils coming out on top 5-0 in a League Cup encounter.
And just like in 1976/77, Tranmere are facing off against United after gaining promotion from the fourth tier the season prior.
However, this won't be the first time a United side has met with Tranmere this season. Their Under-21 side took on Rovers back in December and despite a Tahith Chong brace, they fell to a 3-2 defeat in the second round of the Football League Trophy. Maybe that's an omen?
Recent Form
It was inevitable, wasn't it?
After coming back from three goals down against Premier League opposition away from home, Tranmere set up this huge fourth round clash as they overcame Watford
Their FA Cup joy comes amid a treacherous run of form in League One. Rovers haven't won in the league since a 1-0 victory over Wimbledon on 21 December - failing to win their last five. But when the FA Cup comes around, all that form goes out the window, especially when a big boy arrives at Prenton Park.
United, meanwhile, are in a period of complete dysfunction - from top to bottom. Against Sean Dyche's Clarets, they were devoid of any ideas all over the pitch and were simply bullied - falling to an embarrassing 2-0 home defeat.
With Marcus Rashford out for months and Paul Pogba unlikely to ever feature for the club again, it's going to be a proper slugfest for Solskjaer up until the end of the campaign.
Here's how the two teams have fared in their last five outings.
| Tranmere | United |
| Tranmere 2-1 Watford (23/01) | United 0-2 Burnley (22/01) |
| Tranmere 1-2 Ipswich (18/01) | Liverpool 2-0 United (19/01) |
| Southend 0-0 Tranmere (11/01) | United 1-0 Wolves (15/01) |
| Tranmere 1-2 Leicester U21 (07/01) | United 4-0 Norwich (11/01) |
| Watford 3-3 Tranmere (04/01) | United 1-3 Man City (07/01) |
Prediction
They couldn't, could they?
With Tranmere on a significant high and United seemingly on a downward spiral, an upset is certainly on the cards here. The Prenton Park pitch and atmosphere will undoubtedly make it tough for the Red Devils on Sunday afternoon and it wouldn't be surprising to see the League One side force at least a replay.
Without Rashford and Pogba, the low in confidence visitors will struggle to break down what will likely be a low Tranmere block, the question is: can the hosts nick a goal at the other end?
Prediction: Tranmere 0-0 Manchester United
Source : 90min