Ole Gunnar Solskjær Praises 'Warrior' Marcus Rashford & Provides Injury Update After Liverpool Draw
Manchester United caretaker manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær has paid homage to his star striker Marcus Rashford, after the player stayed on the field to play the full ninety minutes against Liverpool, despite suffering an injury in the first half.
Billed as the 'game of the season', the match fizzled out into a goalless draw, after a series of injuries blighted the first half. Juan Mata and Ander Herrera both left the field with hamstring complaints, while substitute Jesse Lingard was forced to leave the field after just twenty minutes, also with a hamstring injury.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the draw, Solskjær expressed his gratitude to Rashford for soldiering on despite clearly being injured, and said: "You're never surprised in football, you've always got to be ready for anything, but to lose three players in the first half with injuries...Rashford could have been taken off because he was injured from the first tackle, one of plenty.
"(Jordan) Henderson went through him and his ankle was like a balloon.
"I was very concerned with Marcus staying out there and making the injury worse, but he's a warrior and he's a 'Manc' and he knows what this means. We had to keep him on because we'd already had to make three subs."
The Norwegian coach went on to discuss the finer details of the match, and said: "It seemed like it was going to be a tough afternoon, but I can't remember Liverpool having a chance. Even though they had possession, I can't remember David de Gea making a save. We created one or two massive moments where we could have scored.
"If Chris (Smalling) was a striker he'd have got his studs on the late chance, and Jesse's chance before the recurrence of his injury which was the biggest."
The Red Devils will look to continue their impressive run under Solskjær on Wednesday evening, when they take on Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.
The Eagles are fresh off the back of a resounding 4-1 win over Leicester City, and Roy Hodgson's in-form side could pose some real problems for United's injury ravaged side.