Manchester United's Marcus Rashford Reportedly Out 2-3 Months with Back Injury
January 19, 2020
Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford will reportedly miss two to three months with a double stress fracture in his back as well as a piece of floating bone in his ankle that will require surgery to remove, according to Henry Winter of The Times.
United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer confirmed the diagnosis after the match:
Solskjaer said earlier Sunday that Rashford will be out for "a few weeks" with the injury.
Rashford was not included in the Red Devils' squad for their Premier League match against Liverpool at Anfield, and Solskjaer offered an update on his condition when talking before the game to Sky Sports (h/t The Independent's Karl Matchett):
"I wouldn't expect him to be back in the next few weeks. We have a mid-season break and I'm not sure are going to see him before then, no. He's got a couple of knocks, jolts against Wolves. [He] aggravated his back [and] had trouble before; give him time to recover and rest before we put him back on the pitch."
The problem for Rashford comes at a disappointing time, as he is enjoying his most productive campaign in the Red Devils first team. He has mainly been used in a role on the left flank, where he has freedom to roam and cause problems for opposition defenders. Rashford's pace and dribbling skill have lit up the Premier League this term.
There have also been signs of growing maturity from the 22-year-old, who has refined his decision-making in the final third. Rashford has netted an impressive 14 goals in the top flight, which is his best return in the competition.
Replacing the forward will be a huge challenge, as United don't have any other attacker who offers as much as him on a consistent basis.
Anthony Martial can be used on the left flank, although he has looked more comfortable in a central berth this season. Daniel James, Jesse Lingard and Mason Greenwood are other options Solskjaer could utilise.
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