Rashford is injured - Ten Hag's worry

The recent injury to Rashford raised a question about finding a solution to their attacking problem for the remainder of the season for Coach Erik ten Hag.

By: Leey

03/21/2023 16:30

Foretold prospect

Rashford had injury

On March 20th, Manchester United's official website announced that due to an injury, Rashford had requested to withdraw from the England team. The striker sustained the injury during the FA Cup quarter-final match against Fulham, which led coach Erik ten Hag to substitute him in the 83rd minute.

Marcus Rashford suffered an injury in the match against Fulham

The exact extent of the injury is unknown, but Rashford's injury was almost inevitable given his high workload this season. This comes at a crucial time for Manchester United as they push towards the end of the season.

Rashford's form

Throughout all competitions this season, MU's Rashford has played in 44 matches, scoring 27 goals and providing 9 assists. After the World Cup, the English striker showed explosive form, consecutively scoring and assisting for Man Utd. While Rashford's exceptional performance brings delight to MU fans, there is also a persistent concern about the team's over-reliance on the player born in 1997.

Rashford's injury - a inevitable thing

Coach Erik ten Hag lacks a viable backup plan for Rashford, whose persistent injuries have prevented Martial from regularly featuring in the MU squad. According to Jadon Sancho, Antony has been utilized as a creator rather than a finisher like Rashford. Additionally, the rookie Weghorst falls short of the standards expected of a striker and has been forced to play deeper, as a No. 10.

Rashford had to play with the tight schedule

As a result, ten Hag had no choice but to field Rashford in game after game, only daring to rest him when matches were "arranged." The sluggish performance of the No. 10 on Man Utd's side following the second leg against Barca is both indicative of Rashford's overload and a warning of the challenges that await MU during the most stressful period of the season.

Difficult problem with Manchester United and Coach Ten Hag

The person currently most concerned about Rashford's injury is likely coach Gareth Southgate, who will be without the services of the 1997-born striker for the upcoming matches against Italy and Ukraine. However, Southgate still has the likes of Harry Kane or Ivan Toney at his disposal, and England only has two matches in March before returning in June.

Meanwhile, coach Erik ten Hag must carefully consider the sprint to the end of the season. The Dutch captain has no plans to rotate and support Rashford, given the current MU squad's lack of suitable replacements for the No. 10. The most probable option is to utilize Weghorst and wait for Martial's return.

Erik ten Hag does not have many backup plans for Rashford

Man Utd's upcoming schedule is far from favorable, as within six days, Erik ten Hag's team will face three difficult opponents: Newcastle, Brentford, and Everton. The challenge will be compounded by Casemiro's inability to play in the aforementioned matches, resulting in MU losing two key players, one in the midfield and one in the attack, during a crucial stage of the season.

Moreover, several other pillars of Man Utd are exhibiting signs of overload from playing in too many matches. The running of Bruno, Luke Shaw, and Lisandro Martinez have shown signs of fatigue. Prior to their match against Fulham, MU lacked cohesion, and if not for three red cards handed out to coach Marco Silva's team, Man Utd's chance of winning would have been low.

Many MU's key players also show signs of "overload"

The FIFA Day break provides MU with a valuable opportunity to recover and regain fitness. However, this "gift" is not for the main players. Long flights while gathering with the national team or the dreaded "FIFA virus" can exacerbate ten Hag's already difficult problems and make them seem impossible.

Perhaps coach Erik ten Hag wishes that the summer transfer window could start immediately so he can strengthen key positions in the squad. In recent days, the British press has reported that ten Hag will soon receive an extension and a blockbuster contract as a "launch gift" for the team's fans once MU returns to new ownership.

The scenario sounds appealing, but nothing is certain when the season is still so long. Ten Hag still faces many challenges, and it remains to be seen whether he can guide MU through this storm.

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Written by: Leey

Leey is the reporter for Betimate. She currently has a series of articles about football. She specializes in researching football data to come up with evaluations about the tournament and predictions about the matches.