Marcus Rashford spotted in Man Utd training in injury boost as Erik ten Hag hints at return date
ERIK TEN HAG is hopeful Marcus Rashford will be ready for the new season and ready to get back to his very best.
Rahsford was running the show in the 3-2 win against Real Betis in San Diego when he hobbled off in pain after a heavy challenge on his ankle.
United already have Rasmus Hojlund sidelined for six weeks with a hamstring injury and new signing Leny Yoro out for three months with a metatarsal.
But Ten Hag is confident Rashford will recover from his injury quickly and will even asses whether he or Antony, who went off late against Betis with a knock, can play against Liverpool in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Speaking about Rashford, Ten Hag said: “I think not too bad. I think he will progress quickly from this knock.
“Of course, we don’t take risks in the last game of the tour going into the season next week already.
“The final assessment we have to make and we will see if they are ready for the game against Liverpool on Saturday.”
Rashford looked back to his best as he scored from the spot and provided an assist in the win over Real Betis.
It comes after a season in which his off-field partying and poor form on the pitch saw him fall foul of the Manchester United manager and fall out Gareth Southgate’s England squad for the Euros.
But Ten Hag has faith in him and wants the 26-year-old to prove his doubters wrong.
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He said: “Of course, but he has to prove his point. We will set the conditions and he is very capable of doing this.
“The season before last he scored 30 goals, so when he is in the right vibe, then he has such a high potential.
“And when he is really in that mood, then our model will provide him the conditions to score again 30 or even more goals. He should fight for it.”
But Ten Hag does not want a repeat of incidents off the field last season – like when he celebrated his birthday in a city centre venue after United had been hammered 3-0 at home by Manchester City last October.
Or when he was still out in Belfast in the early hours instead hof going to training ahead of an FA Cup tie against Newport.
Ten Hag said: “I think when you want to play in top football nowadays, you need discipline on and off the pitch.
“It was always important, but it gets more and more important now because it’s the survival of the fittest.
“You are not a robot, you are not a machine. No one is. You can only deliver the levels of performance when you do the things right.
“When you don’t do the things right on and off the pitch, then you can’t perform.”
Man Utd’s season gets underway in a rematch against Man City in the Community Shield on August 10.
They then kick-off the Premier League season on August 16 versus Fulham.
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