England officially confirm Manchester United duo withdraw from squad

Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford has looked sharper by the week since his return to the club this season, following loan spells at Aston Villa and Barcelona that kept him away from Old Trafford for 18 months.

Kobbie Mainoo, meanwhile, has continued to build on the form that earned him a starring role in United’s third-place finish last season.

Both were named in Thomas Tuchel’s squad for the upcoming Nations League fixtures, though their club form took a knock during Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Fulham.

Rashford was substituted during the match nursing a hip issue that United have reportedly been managing since this summer’s World Cup, and was seen limping as he was replaced.

Kobbie Mainoo played 80 minutes before being withdrawn, though Michael Carrick insisted afterwards that the change was purely tactical rather than injury-related.

Manchester United duo withdraw from England duty

Mainoo and Rashford are among five names to have withdrawn from Tuchel’s England squad, with Cole Palmer and Declan Rice joining them alongside Tino Livramento, as the Three Lions announced on X.

Morgan Gibbs-White and James Garner have been called up as replacements following the withdrawals.

Mainoo’s own situation carries extra weight given this summer’s World Cup, where the 21-year-old was part of Tuchel’s squad throughout England’s run to the semi-finals but failed to play a single minute.

Tuchel had promised that wouldn’t be repeated this international break, telling reporters, “I expect him to be on the pitch and it’s my duty to get him on the pitch.

“That was totally on me. He didn’t put a foot wrong during the World Cup.”

That promise now looks set to go unfulfilled for a second successive international window, adding to what has already been a frustrating year on the international stage for the United midfielder.

Rashford’s own World Cup involvement was considerably greater, making one start and two substitute appearances during England’s run to a bronze medal, providing an assist in the dramatic 6-4 win over France in the third-place play-off.

Carrick’s side head into the break having won just one of their last five matches across all competitions, making the fitness of both Rashford and Mainoo increasingly important to United’s own hopes of arresting their difficult start to the season.