Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag has suggested he won’t risk starting Anthony Martial against Nottingham Forest on Sunday.
Martial started his first game since January on Thursday night in the Europa League clash against Sevilla, turning in an excellent first-half display before being replaced after 60 minutes.
The 27-year-old provided a superb assist for Marcel Sabitzer’s second goal having also come off the bench to score against Everton last Saturday.
With Marcus Rashford ruled out with a groin problem, United are in desperate need of goals from elsewhere in the side as they continue to fight on three fronts.
But given the Frenchman’s persistent injury troubles this season, ten Hag has admitted he will be unable to take the risk of starting Martial twice in four days.
‘Maybe he [Martial] can [start again] but it’s a risk and we can’t take that risk in this moment because we don’t have so many options in the frontline with Rashford and [Alejandro] Garnacho injured, so we have to be careful,’ ten Hag told a press conference on Friday.
He added: ‘In the individual prospect we know when there’s a lot of load he [Martial] gets injured and we have to build it, especially when the games come quick.’
Should Martial drop out of the starting XI for Sunday’s trip to the City Ground, Wout Weghorst, who has scored just two goals since his January arrival, will be expected to come in and lead the line.
United have lurched into a full-on injury crisis at a pivotal point of the season with first-choice centre-halves Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane forced off injured in Thursday’s 2-2 draw with Sevilla in the first leg of the Europa League quarter-finals.
Martinez was carried off the pitch in worrying scenes with ten Hag attempting to calm fears over a long-term injury in the immediate aftermath on Thursday night.
The United boss was unable to give a further update on either player on Friday.
‘No sorry. It’s not even 24 hours so I don’t have complete diagnoses so I can’t tell you in this moment,’ he said.
Asked whether Martinez may have suffered a metatarsal rather than an Achilles injury as was speculated, he added: ‘I can’t say in this moment.
‘When we have news we will give it straight to you. But let’s do the medical, do their assessment and full diagnosis, complete diagnosis and then give the news. But I think it doesn’t change in this moment.’
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