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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer hopeful over Marcus Rashford availability for Manchester United's clash against West Ham

Rashford was forced off with a shoulder issue against PSG
Rashford was forced off with a shoulder issue against PSG

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is hoping Marcus Rashford can overcome a shoulder issue to feature at West Ham on Saturday.

The 23-year-old missed the first chunk of the year with a back injury and has impressed with his performances since football resumed amid the coronavirus pandemic.

But Rashford is now dealing with a shoulder problem, which saw him pull out of England's November internationals and come off in the second half of Wednesday's 3-1 Champions League defeat to Paris-Saint Germain.

The United forward is a doubt for the Premier League clash against the Hammers but Solskjaer has not given up on him making the trip to the capital.

"Marcus has been training this morning, not fully but he's joined in with the group," the United boss said.

"Obviously his shoulder stopped him finishing the game, so he's been getting treatment and hopefully he'll be part of the squad that travels.

"He's having treatment now after training."

Luke Shaw is the only player ruled out on Saturday and Rashford's availability would be welcome news for United at the London Stadium, which has been an unhappy hunting ground for the Red Devils in recent years.

Meanwhile, the club's executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward said Solskjaer is making progress with the side and will continue to be backed by a long-term recruitment plan focused on the summer transfer windows.

Solskjaer's position came under scrutiny after defeats by Arsenal and Istanbul Basaksehir last month, but four wins from five games sees them trail Premier League leaders Tottenham Hotspur by five points with a game in hand, and they need only a point to reach the Champions League knockout stages.

"We recognise there's more hard work ahead to achieve the consistency needed to win trophies," Woodward said at a fans forum.

"But we see positive signs on the pitch and the training ground that reinforce our belief in the progress being made by Ole, his coaching team and the players."

Woodward maintained United had kept their promise by recruiting heavily in the summer transfer window despite the club's financial situation being impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

"We will continue to support Ole with a planned, long-term approach to recruitment, focused on the summer windows," he added.

Woodward also said the club would not take part in any breakaway European Super League and that he was involved in talks aimed at the "strengthening of existing UEFA club competitions".

"We believe that any changes to European competition post-2024 must be complementary to thriving domestic leagues," Woodward, a board member of the European Club Association, said.

"Other domestic leagues feel the same way, reflected in conversation with our counterparts in other clubs and countries."

Meanwhile the club are to install 1,500 barrier seats early next year as they prepare to trial safe standing at Old Trafford.

Following recommendations on stadium safety made in the Taylor Report after the 1989 Hillsborough disaster, all-seater venues have been mandatory in the top tiers of English football since 1994-95.

But there has been a renewed push in recent years for safe standing to be brought in, with United following fellow Premier League clubs Tottenham and Wolves by installing barrier seating at their ground.

Managing director Richard Arnold said in April that United's "belief is that the introduction of barrier seats will enhance spectator safety in areas of the stadium where - as with other clubs - we have seen examples of persistent standing".

Trafford Council approved the plans to trial 1,500 barrier seats in the J Stand earlier in the year and installation is now due to start in early 2021.

United are not currently allowed fans in the stadium as the region has been put in the tier 3 category. Old Trafford last hosted supporters in the 2-0 Premier League derby win against Manchester City on 8 March.

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