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Belgium Send Romelu Lukaku Back to Manchester United to Recover from Foot Injury

Christopher Simpson@@CJSimpsonBRFeatured ColumnistMarch 20, 2019

LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 10: Romelu Lukaku of Manchester United during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Manchester United at Emirates Stadium on March 10, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by James Williamson - AMA/Getty Images)
James Williamson - AMA/Getty Images

Romelu Lukaku has returned to Manchester United from the Belgian national team squad to recover from a foot injury.

Per MailOnline's Chris Wheeler, the striker was assessed by Belgium's doctors, who ruled him out of their UEFA Euro 2020 qualifiers against Russia and Cyprus.

He was also unable to train, so he has been sent back to Old Trafford to work on his recovery.

Lukaku missed United's FA Cup quarter-final defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday, having suffered the injury in their UEFA Champions League round-of-16 win against Paris Saint-Germain on March 6.

The 25-year-old was able to play in the Red Devils' following match, the 2-0 Premier League defeat to Arsenal, but his appearance only served to aggravate the problem.

Lukaku was wasteful against the Gunners, but Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News otherwise enjoyed his performance in spite of him playing with the injury:

Samuel Luckhurst @samuelluckhurst

Particular pity for Lukaku he hasn't got a goal because his hold-up play has maybe never been better for #mufc than today.

He has scored 15 goals this season, nine of which have come since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took over as manager in December.

Against PSG, he scored his third consecutive brace, having put a total of four past Crystal Palace and Southampton in his previous two matches:

Bleacher Report Live @brlive

Manchester United is ALIVE 🚨 Lukaku scores off of the brutal PSG mistake at the back in just the 2nd minute Watch now on #BRLive https://t.co/RYMCDSQima https://t.co/YnsAAH8aD2

Bleacher Report Live @brlive

2 PSG mistakes, 2 goals for Lukaku 😳 Manchester United is down just 3-2 on aggregate now 👀 Watch now on #BRLive: https://t.co/RYMCDSQima https://t.co/7cajSHZ0BE

Football on BT Sport @btsportfootball

For the third game in a row, Romelu Lukaku scored two goals 🔥 He set the tone for an historic Manchester United victory in Paris 👊 https://t.co/FLx53Eoxiv

It was a superb performance from the striker:

Squawka Football @Squawka

Romelu Lukaku's game by numbers vs. PSG: 32 touches 12 passes completed 5 aerial duels won 4 (100%) take-ons completed 2 shots 2 shots on target 2 goals 1 clearance Bang in form. https://t.co/tM79K9WMaI

Lukaku has been a frustrating player at times since he joined United from Everton in 2017, but when he's not lacking fitness or confidence, he's a prolific goalscorer.

He has shown as much for Belgium, with whom he has scored 45 goals in 79 appearances.

Per Wheeler, United are aiming to have him fit again for the return of club football when they take on Watford on March 30. 

Should he fail to make that, the Red Devils face Wolves on April 2, eight days before their Champions League quarter-final first-leg tie with Barcelona.