United can’t cope without red-hot Marcus... even though he needs a break

give Rashford a rest because of Anthony Martial’s prolonged absence with a thigh injury.

And with Rashford bang in form, with four goals in his last four United games, he does not want one anyway.

Solskjaer said: “I’ve been able to rest him a couple of times in Europe, but he’s such a fit boy, a professional boy. He looks after himself.

“Hopefully he had loads of sweets on his birthday, so his energy levels are up.

“But when you score goals, when you get performances, you just want to play games. The rhythm of playing, resting, recovering and playing again, sometimes that’s just as good.

“Since Anthony has come back Marcus has blossomed. He is probably happier facing goal, being direct, driving at people, taking players on rather than being a target man with his back to goal.

“But Marcus wants to master all the skills – maybe playing as a two with Anthony, maybe as a three against Norwich, or wide like we did against Chelsea.

“And it was important he stepped up for that penalty against Chelsea.”

In the summer Solskjaer said Rashford, whose best goal haul for a season is 13, was capable of scoring 20 in a single campaign.

Rashford already has eight this term, with Solskjaer claiming he can maintain his scoring run and set a new personal best.

“He knows he can get loads of goals, but he needs to add the scruffy ones, the tap-ins, like against Liverpool, from two yards.

“He’s improving all the time and he didn’t really see those opportunities a year ago. He’s now

Manchester United to win 2-1 quicker at reacting and smelling a goal He sees it’s worth a 40-yard sprint.

“For me though, I don’t think he should set himself a target of 20 or 25 goals. Set yourself a target of the next game, the next goal.”

Rashford celebrated his stunner at Chelsea with a knee slide, after which he grimaced, suggesting he may have injured himself in the celebration.

But Solskajer said: “Yeah, well, it wasn’t the knee slide, it was a tackle. Hopefully he will be ready for Bournemouth.”

Solskjaer famously celebrated his Champions League and Treble-winning goal against Bayern Munich in 1999 with a knee slide in the Nou Camp, injuring himself in the process.

“But that was not the knee I had to retire through – it was different,” he said. “The players can do whatever they want when they score goals, because it might be the last one you score.” LINE-UPS: PULLOUT PAGE 12