Manchester United could be without their top scorer for the remainder of the season after Marcus Rashford suffered a double stress fracture in his back.
This news comes as a huge blow for the Man Utd manager who is already without midfield duo Paul Pogba and Scott McTominay. And he has said he can’t guarantee that Rashford will play again this season, which springs further doubt for England with Euro 2020 coming up this summer.
He could be out for at leats six weeks with the stress fracture, according to Solskjaer, as per BBC Sport. But it sounds more like an expected return time for Rashford to resume light training rather than being match fit.
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Rashford has scored 19 goals in all competitions this term and his absence will undoubtedly stand in the way of United’s Champions League qualification hopes — for a second consecutive season.
Despite giving a timeframe that could see Rashford back by March, Solskjaer admitted that the forward’s injury could keep him out for longer.
Solskjaer did not rule out the possibility of Rashford missing the rest of the season.
“Marcus is going to get as long as he needs to get fit. We are not going to risk him when he’s had an injury,” Solskjaer said, as per GOAL.
“I have got the best medical staff in the country and I am sure when Marcus comes back he will be 100 per cent fit.”
Best medical staff in the country? Hmm…
Solskjaer and his staff have come I for heavy criticism after Rashford was brought on as a sub against Wolves in the FA Cup last week despite feeling discomfort in his back — and the plan being to rest him for the game against Liverpool which he missed as a result of the injury.
Rashford lasted 16 minutes on the pitch before being forced off, but Solskjaer fought back against talk that he was thinking about his own job status when risking his star player.
“I never put myself before the team,” Solskjaer said. “I always put the team and the club before anything else. What we’ve discussed before here with Marcus, he’s had minor discomfort in his back since the Burnley game (on Dec 28).
“That’s maybe two weeks before this game. We’ve had scans, we’ve monitored him. There’s now been any injury there. He’s had complaints, yeah.
“I had a discussion and conversation with him the day before or two days before. ‘FA Cup, I’m going to rest you’.
“He felt fine. He was very, very adamant that if needed he could at least do half an hour because we want to go through in the Cup because it’s a big tournament for us. That just shows you Marcus’ attitude.”
United have a must win game tonight against Burnley. A victory will put us three points off Chelsea in fourth after Frank Lampard side’s 1-1 draw with rivals Arsenal last night.
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