‘New Recovery Program’—Marcus Rashford’s Targeted Comeback Game Revealed
Marcus Rashford has remained sidelined for Manchester United’s last five matches, spared much of the glare directed at many of his teammates in recent weeks.
The 29-year-old winger hasn’t played since the 2–0 defeat by Atlético Madrid on Oct. 13, in which he clearly struggled and was withdrawn after only 66 minutes.
Rashford, for whom there had been hope of reintegration this season after his dream of joining Barcelona in a permanent transfer was dashed by the Catalan club’s belief that Anthony Gordon made for a better investment, has yet to score or assist since returning to England.
But his injury struggles may explain why someone who racked up 28 goal contributions last season in what was primarily an understudy role has struggled to impact games as a starter—bearing in mind that scoring goals hasn’t been the team’s problem.
Rashford hasn’t been right since the World Cup when he suffered an initial hip problem. He was selected by England for the September-October international break but withdrew from the squad before even reporting for duty. Rashford managed one minute off the bench against Tottenham Hotspur when club action resumed, before his 66 minutes in Madrid.
With no further matches under his belt, England manager Thomas Tuchel naturally turned to other options when naming his November roster last week.
What Injury Does Marcus Rashford Have?
Rashford aggravated an injury originally suffered at the World Cup. / Chris Arjoon/Icon Sportswire/Getty Images
It is no longer just a hip injury that has been plaguing Rashford, with the Telegraph explaining the original issue has since spread to his groin. It is the latter which has kept him sidelined.
In a bid to get in front of the problem, he is reported to have paid a visit to a groin specialist in Dublin, accompanied by a member of Manchester United’s medical team.
Rashford is described as having “played through the pain” in an effort to give more support to Carrick, who never closed the door on him, despite an understanding that a permanent split during the summer was the preferred course of action for the player.
That only made the injury worse. Rashford is even said to have offered himself a place on the bench for the loss to Chelsea on Halloween, although the club declined the gesture.
When Will Marcus Rashford Return From Injury?
Rashford should be back sooner rather than later. / Manu Reino/DeFodi Images/Getty Images
The trip to Ireland delivered a “new recovery program” that is now in place. It is far from a given, but the hope is that Rashford could be available for the first match after the international break on Nov. 22. Games don’t come much bigger, with United facing Liverpool at Anfield.
It would be the ultimate fixture for a homegrown Manchester United player to stand up and be counted. Rashford has performed well against Liverpool in the past, notably scoring in FA Cup wins in 2021 and 2024, as well as the winner in a Premier League match in 2022.
He helped United secure a point with a goal in 1–1 in 2019 and scored a brace in a 2–1 victory as a 20-year-old back in 2018.
After Liverpool, the Red Devils face Sporting CP in the Champions League in Lisbon on Nov. 25, followed by Brentford’s visit to Old Trafford on Nov. 28.
