Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - December 27, 2022. Manchester United's Marcus Rashford celebrates scoring.
Injury expert Ben Dinnery has shared an injury update on Manchester United star Marcus Rashford ahead of their EFL Cup final clash with Newcastle United.
The Lowdown: Huge game for United
On Sunday afternoon, Erik ten Hag‘s side head to Wembley to take on the Magpies, in what is one of the biggest games in years for both clubs.
United haven’t won a trophy since their 2017 Europa League triumph and victory this weekend could potentially be the start of a great new era at Old Trafford.
Ahead of the match, there is one major injury concern, though, with Rashford picking up a knock in Thursday’s 2-1 win over Barcelona.
Ten Hag has claimed he is unsure over whether the star forward will be available with Dinnery sharing his injury knowledge as Man United sweat over the player’s fitness.
The Latest: Rashford an injury doubt
Speaking to Give Me Sport, player fitness and rehab expert Dinnery admitted the next 24 hours will be ‘key’ in assessing the 25-year-old for Sunday’s final:
“It looks to be an impact injury and we did see him struggling towards the end of the game, so that was forced.
“Of course, in those early post-match discussions with Erik ten Hag, things were extremely vague. Injuries can present themselves and maybe are not as bad as initially feared, and vice versa.
“Ahead of the Carabao Cup final, of course, that is a little bit of a concern. The next 24 hours will be key and today will be a recovery day for the player, so we’ll see in terms of being evaluated and assessed. The players will probably travel down on Saturday.”
The Verdict: Would be a major loss
Rashford missing out would be the worst possible news for United, considering what a sensational season he is enjoying, particularly since the World Cup.
The Englishman has scored in 14 of his last 18 appearances, highlighting how potent he is, and his pace and directness are something that will terrify Newcastle.
Robin van Persie has hailed Rashford as a ‘unique’ player and his possible absence could genuinely be the deciding factor when it comes to who takes the trophy home.
The hope is that the injury is not serious enough to rule him out, however, and Ten Hag will clearly do everything he can to get him on the Wembley turf.
About the Author
