Ole Gunnar Solskjaer learning true cost of Marcus Rashford gamble as Man United season hangs in balance
Although the phrase “touch and go” suggested a situation that could still go either way, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer did not seem hopeful. Marcus Rashford might play again this season, he might not. Either way, he is going to miss the majority of Manchester United’s run-in, if not all of it. It could be a critical blow to Solskjaer’s hopes of avoiding another year in Europe’s second-tier club competition and instead qualifying for next season’s Champions League.
Last month, Rashford appeared confident on recovering from a back injury to feature again during the current campaign. “I’ll be back before the season ends to hopefully help my team claim top four,” he tweeted. But when asked about Rashford’s availability on Wednesday evening, Solskjaer struck a far more pessimistic tone and put any club involvement before next season in doubt.
“It’ll be touch and go. It takes time,” the United manager said, ahead of Thursday’s Europa League last-32 first leg at Club Brugge. “I’m not a doctor but I was hoping that he would recover quicker than it actually looks like he will. He’ll be out for another few months, definitely.” A few months means until the end of April, at least. United’s season will stretch out until 27 May if they reach the final of this competition. Rashford could miss that final.
His involvement at Euro 2020 is also in doubt. Gareth Southgate must name his 23-man squad before 2 June – 10 days before the tournament’s opening game – but could select Rashford and wait up until 13 June at the latest, 24 hours before England’s campaign starts against Croatia at Wembley. Yet as Solskjaer made clear in Bruges on Wednesday night: “If he’s not fit enough, he won’t go.”
Solskjaer’s reluctance for Rashford to be risked is slightly ironic, though, as there are fair questions to be asked regarding his own use of United’s top scorer. Just four days before suffering his back injury in an FA Cup third round replay against Wolves, Rashford was brought off in a 4-0 win against Norwich as a precaution. He has suffered with minor back issues throughout his career and Solskjaer has since admitted they were bothering him at the time.
Still, he felt it necessary to risk Rashford as a second-half substitute in a competition that, though valuable, is not United’s priority. Rashford played a part in the Juan Mata goal which won that game yet lasted just 17 minutes in total. They could now be the last 17 minutes of his season. In the days before the game, Rashford was experiencing discomfort in his back, especially when sitting down. Even if he felt able to play, it was always a calculated gamble to use him. It was a losing bet.
At least crises bring opportunities. Thursday’s first leg in Bruges is at least likely to give United fans a better look at Odion Ighalo. Rashford’s short-term replacement debuted with a four-minute cameo in the 2-0 away win at Stamford Bridge on Monday night. Ighalo was only introduced in stoppage time but still came close to scoring, forcing a save out of Willy Caballero. He will have more time to prove he is a capable stand-in against the runners-up from last year’s Belgian top division.
“I’m not going to tell the team today but we have to rotate with all the games we have coming up but he’s one of those that could start,” Solskjaer said on Ighalo. “Odion is a different type of striker for us. He’s a box striker, a goalscorer. He knows his craft, how to play as centre-forward. I hope he’ll sharpen up quickly but we’ll try to give him as much game time as possible. I’m sure he will take his chances.”
But even if Solskjaer is optimistic about the impact Ighalo could have, needing to rely upon a 30-year-old striker, signed on temporary deal from the Chinese Super League and whose last season in English football produced one league goal in 18 appearances is hardly a promising scenario. Ighalo will be handed an opportunity to get up to speed on Thursday, but he will need to do so quickly.
United’s hopes of avoiding a second consecutive season outside of Europe’s premier club competition are only dented by Rashford’s prolonged absence. It is incredibly difficult to navigate the business end of the season without your most reliable performer. Solskjaer’s decision to play rather than rest Rashford against Wolves a month ago felt like an ominous decision at the time. Over the coming weeks and months, we will find out just how costly it was.
