Marcus Rashford: Manchester United receive boost after encouraging scans on back injury

Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford is stepping up his rehabilitation after encouraging scans on his back injury.

United’s top scorer has been sidelined since suffering a double stress fracture of his back in an FA Cup third round replay win over Wolverhampton Wanderers in January.

Before the suspension of football amid the coronavirus pandemic, Rashford was at risk of missing the remainder of United’s campaign and Euro 2020 with England.

But the 22-year-old revealed this weekend that he feels "10 times better" and is making significant progress in his recovery.

A club statement, released on Monday afternoon, read: “Marcus Rashford has been cleared to step up his rehab programme following encouraging signs on his latest scans.

“His progress will continue to be monitored by the club medical team throughout the current lockdown period.”

Like the rest of United's squad, Rashford is following an individual training programme at home to stay fit during the pandemic.

United were preparing to return to Carrington and resume group training on 10 April, though government lockdown measures are unlikely to have been lifted by then.

“Everyone's just dealing with the circumstances as well as they can,” Rashford told Sky Sports. “I have just been in my house, doing my recovery work, reading books, watching Netflix and just whatever you can do to make the time pass.

“There is not really anything that comes close to that feeling of being in the changing room, in the team, in my opinion, so to be honest I am not trying to chase that high.

“I had to have time off anyway and relax because of my injury. I am fortunate enough to have a bike in the gym downstairs so not much in that sense has actually changed for me, because I can still do the daily routine that I was doing.”