United Aims for Champions League Qualification Against Burnley

Manchester United will travel to face relegation-threatened Burnley on Wednesday evening, seeking to enhance their chances of qualifying for the Champions League. Currently, they sit sixth in the Premier League table, tied on points with Chelsea in fifth place, and only three points behind Liverpool, who are in fourth.

The Red Devils have received a significant boost with the return of Bruno Fernandes and Mason Mount from injury. However, their playing time will be managed during the match at Turf Moor.

Darren Fletcher, who won five Premier League titles and a Champions League during his 13-year career at United, has the unique opportunity to potentially include two of his sons in the squad for Wednesday’s match. His 18-year-old twin sons, Jack and Tyler, are currently training with the first team. Jack has already made three appearances at the senior level, while Tyler is yet to make his debut.

During a press conference on Tuesday, Fletcher was asked if he would make history by being the first Premier League manager to play two of his sons in a match. He humorously responded, “That would be disclosing team information before a game! I’m not going to do that and give anything away. They were part of the training group on Monday, which was arranged prior to my arrival. They’ve been in the squad recently. We have some players returning from injury, so we will assess the situation tomorrow. We still need to evaluate a couple of players due to the quick turnaround from games. They are part of the periphery squad, but whether they make the match squad remains to be seen.”

While it is uncommon for twin brothers to play under their father in the Premier League, several instances exist where individual sons have played for their parents. Closer to home, Sir Alex Ferguson promoted his son Darren during his time at United. Darren secured a Premier League winners’ medal in the 1992-93 season but was sold to Wolves the following year. Furthermore, Steve Bruce, captain of the 1992-93 team, managed his son Alex at Birmingham and Hull.

Jamie Redknapp, now a pundit for Sky Sports, nearly completed his entire Premier League career without playing under his father, Harry. Although Jamie began his career at Bournemouth under Harry, he was sold to Liverpool in 1991, where he became a fan favorite for 11 years before finally reuniting with his father at Southampton in 2005.

Nottingham Forest legend Brian Clough managed his son Nigel in the 1990s, and Gavin Strachan had a brief stint playing under his father, Gordon, while at Coventry.

As Fletcher prepares to lead United against Burnley, his future with the club remains uncertain. He has confirmed that discussions will be held with the club’s hierarchy later this week, and reports suggest he may help establish a new coaching setup under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who is in talks for a potential return as caretaker manager at Old Trafford.