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Marcus Rashford: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer gives no guarantees Manchester United striker will return this season

Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford: Getty
Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford: Getty

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has not ruled out the possibility of Marcus Rashford missing the rest of the season and next summer’s European Championship, but defended himself against claims he put his own interests before the Manchester United striker’s fitness.

Rashford is expected to be sidelined for at least six weeks after suffering a double stress fracture of the back, though Solskjaer admitted for the first time on Tuesday that United’s top scorer will be out for “a few months”.

The 22-year-old sustained the injury after coming on as a second-half substitute in last week’s FA Cup third round victory over Wolves, when the game was still goalless. United subsequently broke the deadlock through Juan Mata but Rashford lasted just 16 minutes.

Solskjaer claimed Rashford’s back problem was a new injury after Sunday’s defeat at Liverpool, despite saying before kick-off that Rashford had “aggravated” his back and that he had previously experienced “trouble” with it.

It is understood that Rashford’s back was causing him significant discomfort in the days before the Wolves replay, with him even finding it painful to sit down at a promotional event held at Hotel Football, nearby Old Trafford.

Ahead of Burnley’s visit on Wednesday night, Solskjaer admitted that Rashford complained of back pain after the reverse fixture at Turf Moor on 29 December but insisted he felt fine to play off the substitutes’ bench against Wolves.

Yet when asked directly whether Rashford’s season and involvement in the Euros was at risk, Solskjaer did not give any guarantees that United’s top scorer would return before the summer.

“Marcus is going to get as long as he needs to get fit,” he said. “We are not going to risk him when he has had an injury. I have got the best medical staff in the country and I am sure when Marcus comes back he will be 100% fit.”

Ian Wright, the former Arsenal striker, accused Solskjaer of thinking about “himself before the player” on Monday, but the United manager denied doing any such thing and said the club had managed the player as well as they could.

“I never put myself before the team,” Solskjaer insisted. “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.

“We've had scans, we've monitored him. There's not been any injury there. He's had complaints, yes. 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's attitude.

“That was the second day after we played Norwich. He had an extra day of treatment and recovery inside because we wanted to give him all the chance to be ready for the coming games. That's why we rested him.

“He had no complaints training the day before the game, he did really well. He looked very free and when I asked him if it was OK to be on the bench, no problem. He wanted to come on. It's just one of those unfortunate things.

“You know we monitor and we take risks... not take risks, we have to manage players every single day, loads of things that Ian Wright or anyone doesn't know about. The medical staff here, they are very, very good. This one is just one of those unfortunate things.”

Rashford does not require surgery on his back but United will still explore short-term options to replace their top scorer in the transfer market. “We are looking at different scenarios,” Solskjaer said.

“If there are deals to be done we will update you on that. We know that Marcus is out for a few months. That will take its toll on the team because we are stretched. They know that, but it’s also giving them a chance to take some chances now.”

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