Marcus Rashford has been ruled out for several games with a muscle injury to leave Manchester United waiting to see if he will miss their FA Cup semi-final against Brighton and a potential shootout for a Champions League place with Tottenham.
United’s 28-goal top scorer was hurt in Saturday’s 2-0 win over Everton but manager Erik ten Hag said the England international was “not totally broke” because he will return before the end of the season.
And Ten Hag said that Anthony Martial, who has not begun a game since January’s Manchester derby, is fit to start the Europa League against Sevilla on Thursday.
Martial scored as a substitute against Everton and has come off the bench in United’s last three fixtures and Ten Hag said: “I think he is ready to start a game.”
Rashford has scored 20 goals since the World Cup and his absence threatens to harm United’s prospects in three competitions, as they travel to Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Sunday.
“We have to see how the injury develops,” added Ten Hag. “Of course it is a setback and he is disappointed but he is not totally broke because he knows he will be return quick, he is optimistic and he has started his rehab, so he will get back soon.”
United face Brighton in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley on 23 April before travelling to Tottenham four days later in a potentially decisive week in their season.
Martial has been Ten Hag’s first-choice striker this season but has only started nine games in an injury-hit campaign. Ten Hag has eased the Frenchman back to action but feels he could have played a greater part on Saturday.
He added: “We don’t have to force things but we are careful, of course. The frontline against Brentford did really well and then we decide to continue that against Everton and they did again very well. The advantage was also we can bring Anthony Martial slow back but in the team, give him minutes, get him used to the game at the highest level, to high intensity. But I think already against Everton he was ready to start a game.”
