Is Marcus Rashford playing in the Carabao Cup final between Manchester United and Newcastle United?

Marcus Rashford's sensational season has powered Manchester United so far this season

Is Marcus Rashford playing in the Carabao Cup final between Manchester United and Newcastle United?

Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford came off during the final minutes of the Europa League playoffs tie on Thursday. According to manager Eric Ten Hag, it is not certain whether the forward will start the Carabao Cup final on Sunday.

Marcus Rashford has been in unreal form since the World Cup and has been the destructor-in-chief for the Red Devils. The sight of him sitting down with a grim face against Barcelona was more of a threat to the fans than anything the Catalans posed during the match. It is now confirmed that Rashford has received a knock on his ankle. 

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In a press conference, Ten Hag said that the extent of the injury is not yet known to him. He said, “I don’t know. Players are now coming in, we have to do investigations, medical, of course, yesterday we did. So straight after a game most of the time you can’t say, you have to wait for a 100 per cent diagnosis. So let’s do the medical, the work, we have to wait.”

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Manchester United will face Newcastle United on Sunday. This will be their first appearance in a final since 2017 when they won the UEFA Europa League. Not having Rashford in the starting eleven will be a huge blow to the high-flying Reds. 

Talking about his first final in his first season in charge, Ten Hag said, “It’s great. As you have seen, see we take every game seriously, we take every competition seriously, so we’ve now progressed to a final and it’s great to play a final. But if you play you want to win.”

Marcus Rashford’s Impact on Manchester United

Marcus Rashford (credit: FS Archive)

Rashford has been one of the most, if not the most, in-form players in Europe since the World Cup. In his last 18 games, the 25-year-old has scored 16 goals. In the 22/23 season, he plundered 24 goals and nine assists in all competitions making it his best season. 

Since his dreary last season, Rashford has surely turned a major corner in his game. Currently, he is averaging 0.65 goals per 90 from 1.38 shots on target. He is also getting almost 5.5 touches inside the penalty box in the same time period which is resulting in 3 shots against Premier League oppositions. Coupled with the fact that he is converting one of five shots into a goal has made him a scary customer for the defenders this season.

The mercurial Mancunian has benefited immensely from the addition of former PL striker Benni McCarthy to the coaching squad. Rashford has looked faster, sharper and more decisive since McCarthy has taken over. He has been receiving a lot of the passes in the left-interior channel making it harder for the defenders to deal with him.

How will Manchester United line up in the Absence of Marcus Rashford?

Garnacho celebration (Credit: FS Archives)

Apart from Rashford, Anthony Martial has also been out of the team with a hip injury. The silky French forward has found it difficult to stay fit this season. 

Eric Ten Hag will surely have a crucial decision to make in case Rashford is announced unfit to start. But the Dutch have shown time and again that he is well-versed in the art of man management. 

Ten Hag is an astute in-game manager who has created a fluid attacking system where every player has been deputised in more than one role. Bruno Fernandes has played as a right-winger and through the middle, Jadon Sancho has played as a playmaker and on the left. Even January-recruit Wout Weghorst has played as a centre forward and as a number 10. 

This means Ten Hag almost always has more than one player on the pitch to play in different systems. However, going by the form of players, it is Alejandro Garnacho who is most suited to replace the Brit. 

The Argentine teen has been sensational down the left. He has already scored four and assisted six in his breakout campaign this year. 

Garnacho has the typical tease of South America with an “English” trait of speed and strength. Now, it is to be seen whether he can handle the mantle at Wembley to deliver the first silverware of the Ten Hag reign.