Ten Hag: ‘I am not to blame for Rashford’s injury'

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has said he is not to blame for the injury suffered by Marcus Rashford on Saturday.

Rashford – the Red Devils top scorer this season with 28 goals - limped off with nine minutes remaining after he signaled to the bench that he wanted to be substituted.

When he was asked whether he was guilty of overplaying the English forward, the Dutchman defended himself from that claim.

"Not any manager in this stage of the season will rotate so much," Ten Hag told reporters after the Everton match – which United won by a 2-0 margin - at Old Trafford.

"I know that is why this is the toughest league, and in all the leagues and competitions we were in then, you needed a squad to rotate to a certain point, but this was avoidable, it was not necessary to set the schedule like we have now.

"Other things are more important from a sporting element, like protecting the players.

Scott McTominay scored in the first half before Anthony Martial – a second-half substitute – added the other goal in the second half. The former Ajax manager was tasked to explain why Rashford was not withdrawn with the Red Devils leading.

"I had that consideration, it's a fair question," the Dutchman responded.

"But at that moment, you want also Anthony Martial, who is coming back, back in routines [with Rashford], because when they are together, we have two clinical players who can finish games and that is what we want in the final part of the season to be successful.

"The other thing is, there was no indication [of Rashford's injury] at all, there was no indication in the last days or in this game. If there was, I would of course have taken him off."

With Ten Hag blaming the number of games, there is a possibility that United will play 65 games this season if they reach the finals of the FA Cup and Europa League.