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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
Kyle Newbould

Erik ten Hag may need to find Manchester United's next match winner amid Marcus Rashford injury scare

As Manchester United prepare to welcome Sevilla to Old Trafford on Thursday, Erik ten Hag will be sweating on the fitness of Marcus Rashford.

At 1-0 up against Everton on Saturday and on course for three more points, the Dutchman decided to keep Rashford on in the hope that he and Anthony Martial - who came off the bench on 60 minutes - could reignite their relationship upfront. They did exactly that, capitalising on a Seamus Coleman mistake for the Frenchman to tap home a second.

But when Rashford pulled up, signalling to the bench and holding his groin 10 minutes later, Ten Hag's heart will have dropped with the rest of the Old Trafford crowd. The 25-year-old found time to give a young Red his shirt but cut a forlorn figure limping towards the tunnel, fear intensifying with each sheepish step.

RASHFORD LATEST: Erik ten Hag's anger and chances of facing Sevilla

United have been over-reliant on Rashford's goals this season and Ten Hag has not hidden away from that. The forward has netted 28 of his side's 86 goals across all competitions - equal to almost a third. Of those 28, 10 have been winners.

He has scored almost three times anyone else at the club, Bruno Fernandes the only other player on double figures with 10. And while that is testament to the season Rashford is having, it is also a concern both when he is kept quiet - as happened in the three goalless league games before last week's win against Brentford - and in the instance he gets injured.

United have not confirmed the severity of Rashford's injury, but Ten Hag admitted after Saturday's win that it 'doesn't look well' and the Reds boss could have an almighty task on his hands in replacing those goals.

It makes the sustained fitness of Martial all the more important, the French international finding the net again in his brief spell against the Toffees. That was goal number seven for the campaign and quite ridiculously puts him as United's joint-third top scorer alongside Antony, despite playing just 798 minutes of football.

A goals-per-90 average of 0.79 is better than Rashford this season and proof that Martial can find the net, but questions will continue as to whether he can keep fit. An appearance on Thursday against his former club will be the first time this season he has played four matches in a month.

Antony's numbers should be higher, considering some of the chances he has wasted - not least on Saturday where he could have had two by half-time - but they have come at crucial moments: the debut opener in a 3-1 win over Arsenal, the second-leg winner against Barcelona, the goal to give his side the lead in the second-leg 4-1 win over Real Betis.

Fernandes has so often stepped up over the years and is the one closest to Rashford's numbers - albeit still some way short. The Portuguese midfielder can move back into his more natural No.10 role upon the return of Casemiro and will keep the armband in Harry Maguire's absence.

Should Rashford's injury not be as bad as first feared, then a swift return will no doubt see him continue to be United's match-winner. But Ten Hag may also need to find a new one, even if only for a few weeks.

There are less than two months of the season left and so much still to play for. United could end the campaign with three major trophies and a place in next season's Champions League. If Rashford isn't fit to step up, someone else will have to.

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