The Standard (Zimbabwe)

Rashford injury sours routine Manchester Utd win over Everton

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The club is currently sitting in seventh place with 46 points from 29 matches, nine matches before the season ends.

Munetsi has been one of the club's top performers this season and will be hoping to further improve his statistics in the the club's quest for European football next season.

Reims hosts Brest this afternoon.

MANCHESTER – Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag took aim at his side's congested xture schedule after Marcus Rashford limped o in a 2-0 win over Everton on Saturday.

Goals from Scott McTominay and Anthony Martial edged United ever closer to a return to the Champions League next season as they moved up to third and opened up a six-point cushion over fth-placed Tottenham.

But the three points came at a cost as Rashford hobbled o nine minutes from time, which could prove to be a major blow in the Red Devils' quest for more silverware this season in the FA Cup and Europa League.

Ten Hag was not happy at the timing of the match as United were in action for the third time in less than six days after losing 2-0 at Newcastle last weekend and a 1-0 win over Brentford on Wednesday.

"We have to wait. He doesn't look well," said Ten Hag. "It's due to the schedule. It can't be that you play three games in six days and we have to protect the players.

"Everyone wants to see the best players on the pitch. Everyone wants to see great entertaini­ng football and you need your best players."

Only Jordan Pickford and some wayward United nishing prevented Everton from being on the end of a hiding even before the half-time whistle as the To ees failed to do their bid to beat the drop any good.

Sean Dyche's men remain outside the relegation zone only thanks to goal di erence and could fall into the bottom three should other results go against them on Saturday.

"We have to be more clinical, more ruthless," added Ten Hag. "This game has to be nished already by half-time."

The former Ajax boss bemoaned his side's reliance on Rashford for goals in midweek, but even he had a rare o day in front of goal before appearing to pull up with a groin injury.

Pickford got down low to his left to deny his internatio­nal colleague when one-on-one before Rashford headed his next big chance wide.

Antony then struck the post from a well-worked corner and Aaron Wan Bissaka somehow skewed the rebound wide with the goal gaping.

The opening goal nally arrived on 36 minutes when McTominay, who has been in ne goalscorin­g form for Scotland, netted his rst Premier League goal of the season.

Jadon Sancho picked out the midelder's run into the box and he smashed the ball past Pickford at his near post.

United's inability to turn their dominance into goals highlighte­d their need for a new number nine, but Martial's return to tness is a welcome boost heading into the nal two months of the season. An error from Seamus Coleman ended any hope of an Everton ghtback as he was robbed by Rashford, who squared for the Frenchman to tap home his rst goal since February 19 minutes from time.

Christian Eriksen made his return from an ankle injury for the nal 13 minutes, but that positive news was soon overshadow­ed by the sight of Rashford limping gingerly around the pitch and down the tunnel ahead of a crucial fortnight for United.

They face Sevilla in the Europa League quarter- nals over the next two midweeks before a trip to Wembley to take on Brighton in the FA Cup semi- nals on April 23.

English Premier League results and xtures

Yesterday: Manchester United 2-0 Everton, Wolves 1-0 Chelsea, Aston Villa 2-0 Nottingham Forest, Fulham 0-1 West Ham, Leicester City 0-1 Bournemout­h, Tottenham 2-1 Brighton, Brentford 1-2 Newcastle, Southampto­n v Manchester City

Today: Leeds v Crystal Palace (1500), Liverpool v Arsenal (1730)

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 ?? ?? An injury to Marcus Rashford (left) soured a 2-0 win for Manchester United over Everton
An injury to Marcus Rashford (left) soured a 2-0 win for Manchester United over Everton

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