It’s just only two days more to the much-anticipated Manchester United-Liverpool clash at Anfield and already the United manager is beginning to rue a mistake he had made in bringing Marcus Rashford off the bench for the Wednesday match against Wolves.
The wiser, more prudent decision had been made earlier to rest the England international this season after he had been the recipient of a couple of knocks when Solskjaer took him off in the midst of the win against Norwich last weekend. “He got through most of the game, he is struggling a little bit so we took him off,’” said Solskjaer after the win.
Why then in heaven’s name did the Norwegian make a last minute decision that ran counter to the dictates of conventional wisdom of properly letting the striker rest and instead sent Rashford out to warm up not even 10 minutes into the second half in their match against Wolves in the FA Cup third round replay? A decision that seems to border foolishly on what looked like desperation when United could have just as easily carried on for another two minutes or so with 10 men while Lingard warmed up. There was clearly no necessity to get Rashford off the bench at all, knowing fully well that he was still recovering from recently sustained injuries. Rashford had already even been seen lugging around his bone healing machine with him into the team hotel just prior to the Wolves game as that particular machine is already a regular companion for the 22-year-old who’s been using it since he was a teenager suffering from recurrent back problems that flare up occasionally.
I used the word ‘desperation’ earlier because the obvious underlying problem behind Solskjaer’s dilemma is that he doesn’t have much confidence, if at all, apart from the clearly dependable England international who’s been in pristine form this period to pull off near miraculous wins. Just like his desperate dependence on Pogba despite the Frenchman being all this while an unreliable presence due to his constant injuries that’s kept him off the pitch for many games.
“Yes it backfired,” Solskjaer said about his move to bring Rashford on against Wolves, admitting that it was a risk to bring the forward on, a risk he needn’t have made. Rashford lasted less than 16 minutes before his knock with Matt Doherty caused him to fall awkwardly. “You have got to take them once in a while. He’ll be tested in the next few days – we have to see for Sunday. He couldn’t run. He struggled a little bit with his back and got another knock. It didn’t help.”
Solskjaer’s side clearly is a better attacking unit with Rashford involved. His partnership with Anthony Martial could have the dynamics to pose some serious problems for the Reds. Yet without him they’re awkwardly lacking which was why he was summoned from the bench against Wolves.
Solskjaer’s initial mistake of bringing Rashford into the game against Wolves could well be compounded if he decides to cue the striker into the Livcerpool clash if he isn’t ready yet for that. Sure, United will sorely miss his presence but would it be worthwhile to throw him right into a game that will be fiercely hard-fought when his fitness is definitely in question?
Solskjaer’s earlier Wolves decision could have deeper repercussions than he’d anticipated.