Marcus Rashford injury: Erik ten Hag offers positive update ahead of Newcastle clash

Erik ten Hag has admitted he is confident that Marcus Rashford will be fit enough for Manchester United's trip to face Newcastle on Saturday.

The in-form 25-year-old was forced to drop out of the England squad earlier this month because of a knock - something which appeared to frustrate Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate.

Back in Manchester, it was all smiles for Ten Hag as he revealed his confidence that Rashford will be ready to go at St James' Park.

"I've good hope, he trained but he had to do some treatment, he had to do some individual training, today he joined in with the group," the Dutchman told his pre-match press conference.

"We have one more day. I have a good hope he will be available."

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Ten Hag was later asked for an update on Rashford's contract situation - the England international is approaching the final 12 months of his deal with United - but the boss gave nothing away.

"We never [say anything]. It's an internal process," Ten Hag said.

"We focus on winning games, of course also planning for the future so in the back we're working on that. It's about agents, it's about football director John Murtough, Rashy and I are focusing on performing."

Rashford heads into the Newcastle game on a run of ten goals in his last 13 Premier League games, and Ten Hag was keen to deflect any praise for his role in Rashford's resurgence.

"It's not about just a talk, I'm not Harry Potter," he said. "It's like a process.

"There are many tools you're putting in in your management to let people get to best form, best shape, so it's about line-up, way of playing, it's about coaching, talks, informal, it's about coaches working with him and especially it's a lot about himself because he's the one and he has the skills."

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On this edition of The Promised Land, part of the 90min podcast network, Scott Saunders & Rob Blanchette discuss Gareth Southgate's comments on Marcus Rashford following his recent withdrawal from the England squad through injury. The guys also discuss Napoli's Kim Min-jae and if he is the man to replace Harry Maguire at Old Trafford.

If you can't see this embed, click here to listen to the podcast!