With Champions League qualification still a possibility for Man United, Erik ten Hag needs all of his stars available for the last knockings of the 2022/23 Premier League season.
Unfortunately for the Dutchman, he was without front man, Marcus Rashford, for the visit of Wolves to Old Trafford, and it appears that the England international might well be out for the remainder of the campaign.
Ten Hag was interviewed by BBC Sport before the match regarding Rashford’s availability.
“I can’t tell [what the latest is] in this moment. He is not available,” he said, with quotes picked up by the official Man United website.
“So for this moment, we have to focus on the team who is available. We have a good team and it’s a good squad. We have to win this game.
“I can’t tell in this moment and as I say, it’s not my focus point in this moment. I hope [he will be back soon]. Of course. And he will do everything that can be done.
“The medical staff is working hard on it, but I am focused, and my team are focusing, on this game.”
Depending whether the manager wants to play Rashford up top or out wide, Jadon Sancho and Anthony Martial can provide cover, but neither are quite in the groove as well as their team-mate has been this season.
The Frenchman didn’t miss the target when given the opportunity to open the scoring against Wolverhampton Wanderers, but ten Hag will want to see more than that from the front man in the final few games against Bournemouth, Chelsea and Fulham.
Not to mention the FA Cup final against Man City if Rashford isn’t deemed fit enough to take part in the end of season showpiece.
If there’s a chance that the striker will be able to take part again in 2022/23, ten Hag is likely to hedge his bets, but he also has to take a broader view that rushing Rashford back may also not be the best course of action for the team.