Just when things were starting to look a bit more up for Manchester United, disastrous news broke. The team’s leading scorer, Marcus Rashford, is potentially out for the season. United have really missed their homegrown striker, who has 19 goals on the season, as he’s been gone about a month due to a double stress fracture in his back, which he suffered in the FA Cup fourth round replay against Wolves.
It seems that United will have to cope without him for much longer still. Originally slated to return in March or April, United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admitted that the English international could be done for the season, and might potentially miss out on the European championships this summer.
“It will just be touch and go towards the end [of the season],” Solskjaer said at a news conference today ahead of the Europa League clash tomorrow night at Club Brugge.
“Hopefully we can get through this tournament and prolong the season. It takes time, I’m not a doctor. I was hoping he would recover quicker than what it looks like he’s going to be out for.”
“He’s going be out for another few months, definitely. He had a scan and it was maybe more severe, that fracture, than what we hoped for and expected.”
It’s not just a problem for OGS, it’s an issue for England manager Gareth Southgate too, who might not have much beyond Jamie Vardy to choose from at centre forward this summer. Tottenham talisman Harry Kane is also likely out for the Premier League season, and a potential doubt for the Euros.
When asked about Rashford’s potential availability for selection at Euro 2020, Solskjaer offered: “If he’s not fit enough he won’t go.”
Yikes! United were starting to feel good, with the win at Chelsea and a league form that was improving somewhat recently. So much for that.
Manchester United at Club Brugge UEL Round of 32 Leg 1/2 FYIs
February 20, 5:55 pm, Jan Breydel Stadium
United Team News: go to this link
United starting XI prediction: go to this link
TV: BT Sport 2
Referee: Aleksei Kulbakov
Prediction: Manchester United 2, Club Brugge 1
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” regularly appears on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
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