With the addition of Jadon Sancho and the increasing likelihood that Anthony Martial will be staying put, a lot of questions have been posed about the shape of the Manchester United attack this season. Who is in and who is out in a final third that seems pretty crowded?
One guy who won’t be around, at least until October, is Marcus Rashford who is set to face about 12 weeks on the sideline once he undergoes shoulder surgery later this month, according to the PA news agency.
Instances like this further validate why it’s good to have depth at every position. Rashford battled through a long-term shoulder issue to suit up for England at Euro 2020, and he made five substitute appearances. Given how banged up he was, no one who has been paying attention could have faulted him if he wanted to forgo international duty and instead focus on convalescence.
Rashford, 23, hit the post from the spot in the penalty shoot-out of Sunday’s Euro loss to Italy. He, along with England teammates Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka, some sickening abuse, much of which came in racist form.
Rashford’s Manchester mural even got defaced.
However, the groundswell of support he received (ditto for his mural and his mates) was definitely very encouraging. Rashford won’t be able to participate, obviously, but his United side open the season Aug. 14 against Leeds.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank, partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune.