Down with the kids! Marcus Rashford has been training with Man United’s UNDER 18s during the international break after pulling out of the England squad to try and regain peak fitness after shoulder injury
- Most of Manchester United’s non-international players have taken time off
- But Marcus Rashford has been working with youth-team players at Carrington
- Rashford wants to get up to speed after withdrawing from the England squad
- He received his MBE from the Duke of Cambridge at Windsor Castle on Tuesday
Marcus Rashford trained with Manchester United’s Under 18 squad to regain peak fitness during the international break.
While most of United’s non-international players have been given time off by manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who is spending some time in Norway with his family, Rashford has been working with the youth-team players and some of the Under 23s at Carrington alongside Mason Greenwood and Luke Shaw.
The 24-year-old Rashford withdrew from the England squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Albania and San Marino because he has not played 90 minutes for United since undergoing surgery on his left shoulder in August, and also had a bout of flu after returning from the Champions League game against Atalanta last week.
Marcus Rashford has been training with Manchester United’s Under 18 squad this week
Rashford is determined to get back up to speed and be available to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
Rashford received his MBE from the Duke of Cambridge at Windsor Castle on Tuesday
Rashford is determined to get back up to speed as quickly as possible, having put himself through triple training sessions after the surgery so he could make his comeback ahead of schedule in mid-October.
He has since scored three goals in six games – including three appearances as a substitute – and hopes the extra work during the international break will pay off as United face a heavy schedule of 11 games before the end of the year.
Solskjaer will need as many fit players as possible after Paul Pogba was ruled out for up to six weeks and Raphael Varane for another month, while Edinson Cavani has revealed that he is struggling with a tendon problem that has been hampering him since pre-season.
Cavani’s absence, in particular, would place even greater importance on Rashford staying fit to help Cristiano Ronaldo lead the attack.
Luke Shaw (left) has also been seen at Carrington after he withdrew from the England squad
Having received his MBE from the Duke of Cambridge at Windsor Castle on Tuesday, Rashford spent the rest of the week in training to prepare for the visit to Watford a week on Saturday.
Shaw was forced to pull out of Friday’s qualifier against Albania at Wembley because he is following concussion protocols after taking a blow to the head in the Manchester derby.
Greenwood asked Gareth Southgate not to be considered for international duty, but he was another at the training ground on Wednesday.
Some of United’s non internationals were surprised to be given last week off despite it long being scheduled. In light of recent performances it was considered a good time to put in extra work but Solskjær and his staff kept to the break and will return on Monday.
United have continued to show support for Solskjær in the hope he can find a solution but defeat to Watford will again raise questions about his suitability to continue as manager.
Leicester City’s Brendan Rodgers is one name likely to come under consideration should United act as is Paris St Germain coach Mauricio Pochettino who is understood to be keen on a return to the Premier League.
