Rashford seeks no reassurance over role
MANCHESTER United forward Marcus Rashford does not need verbal assurance from his manager Jose Mourinho about his importance to the team and said he is not worried despite limited time on the pitch in the current Premier League campaign.
Rashford scored both goals for United in Saturday’s 2-1 victory over Liverpool in what was his first league start since the game against Burnley in December.
“The manager doesn’t have to (speak to me),” the 20-year-old told the club’s website.
“When you’re younger than I am and you are learning the game you do need it (reassuring words). But from my experiences I understand that’s part of the game.
“In football you are going to be up, you’re going to be down. The most important thing is sticking together as a squad.
“Everyone turns up every day for training, we all work hard, we all do the necessary things. We’re all in it together. Sometimes you are in the team, sometimes you are not.”
Rashford has made 27 league appearances this season, coming off the bench 13 times. His two goals against Juergen Klopp’s side took his league tally to six.
“If it (dropping to the bench) happens again you will probably deal with it better than the first time it happened to you. It is just another experience,” the England international said.
United moved to 65 points and five points clear of fourth-placed Liverpool with the victory.
Mourinho’s side trail runaway leaders Manchester City by 13 points with eight games left in their campaign.
United are uncertain about midfielder Paul Pogba’s availability for today’s Champions League last 16 clash with Sevilla, Mourinho said after the Frenchman missed their 2-1 win over Liverpool.
Pogba was ruled out after picking up an injury in the team’s final training session before the match and Mourinho is awaiting information on whether he can shake off the knock in time for the visit of the Spanish side.
“I don’t know,” Mourinho said when asked about Pogba’s availability for the second leg of their last 16 match.
“The injury? It was contact with a player in the last minute of the training session.
“If I finished the session one minute before it wouldn’t have happened,” the Portuguese manager added.
United’s record-signing Pogba has been criticised for his performances this season and Mourinho benched the 24-year-old for their goalless draw at Sevilla in the first leg last month.
Pogba came on as a substitute early in that game after midfielder Ander Herrera pulled up injured.
Midfielder Marouane Fellaini returned to action against Liverpool to boost Mourinho’s midfield options against Sevilla. The Belgium international has been out since January after minor knee surgery.
“I want to praise every player but Marouane Fellaini had to go to knee surgery,” Mourinho said. Fellaini replaced goalscorer Rashford in the 70th minute.
“To return ahead of time, he did fantastic work to recover outside the club with the people who have his trust. He arrived to train a couple of days ago and made himself available.”
z West Ham's owners will be given additional protection at the London Stadium with a larger police presence and barriers to prevent a repeat of the crowd disturbances that marred Saturday's 3-0 home defeat by Burnley.
Pitch invasions and ugly scenes in the stands, including fans taunting owners David Gold and David Sullivan in the directors' box, led the club to launch a probe and call an emergency meeting with the Stadium stakeholders. – Reuters