Erik ten Hag is hopeful that Marcus Rashford will be fit to feature as Manchester United face Newcastle in the Premier League this weekend.
Rashford withdrew from the England squad for March’s Euro 2024 qualifiers after picking up a toe issue during the club’s 3-1 win over Fulham before the break.
The 25-year-old has been in brilliant form for the Red Devils and has scored ten goals in his last 12 league appearances for Manchester United. Ten Hag said that he is hopeful that Rashford will be fit for Sunday’s showdown at St James’ Park after returning to training this week.
“I’ve good hope, he trained but he had to do some treatment, he had to do some individual training,” he said at his pre-match press conference. “Today he joined in with the group.
“We have one more day. I have a good hope he will be available.”
United remain in negotiations with Rashford over a new contract at Old Trafford, with his current deal set to expire in 2024. The forward took to social media to deny reports of demands that he wants to become the Premier League’s highest-paid player and Ten Hag has insisted that contract talks will continue as an internal process.
“We never do [talk about it]. It’s an internal process. We focus on winning games.
“Of course also planning for the future so in the back we’re working on that. It’s about agents, it’s about football director John Murtough. Rashy and I are focusing on performing.”
Rashford has recorded a career-best 27 goals in all competitions this season and has bounced back from a difficult spell to produce the best form of his career. Ten Hag was asked on how he has brought the best out of the forward.
“It’s not about just a talk, I’m not Harry Potter,” he joked.
“It’s like a process, so there are many tools you’re putting in in your management to let people get to the best form, best shape so it’s about the line-up, the way of playing.
“It’s about coaching, talks, it’s about coaches working with him and especially it’s a lot about himself because he’s the one that has the skill.”
Ten Hag confirmed that Anthony Martial is closing in on a first-team return and revealed the Frenchman could feature at Newcastle this weekend.
“He’s training, so for two weeks now, I think he can be in the squad for Sunday.”
