Manchester United striker Anthony Martial had a hamstring problem in the warm-up and forced to sit out the Europa League clash with Midtjylland at Old Trafford on Thursday night.
The Frenchman was replaced at late notice by teenager Marcus Rashford, who was promoted from the bench in order to make a dramatic first-team bow, scoring twice in the 5-1 victory that sealed a 6-3 aggregate success.
After losing David De Gea in the build-up to the first leg in Denmark, it is the latest in a series of unfortunate injury blows for Louis van Gaal's team but the boss suggested afterwards the decision to withdraw Martial was a precaution.
"It should be his first muscle injury [since arriving at the club]," he told BT Sport. "But he is smart and wise to step out. It is not a rupture or anything like that. A tight hamstring. I don't think it is very heavy."
The manager elaborated further at his press conference: "Anthony can be tired. He's only 20 and he's played all the matches so it's not so remarkable. He stepped down himself and that I like very much.
"I have already explained to you the only muscle injury we have is Marouane Fellaini. That we know already when he played so many matches in a row. It's always like that when you don't have other players and it's difficult to change or rotate. So the next muscle injury would be [expected to be] Martial but I don't think he has a muscle injury. He is very intelligent - he steps down when his hamstring is tight.
"You have to cope with that, it's difficult also for the team because, after David De Gea, now Martial, and Martial and De Gea have played very good seasons, I think, and they have to be replaced."
Nonetheless, everybody will be eagerly waiting to see if Martial will be available for Sunday's Barclays Premier League clash with Arsenal at Old Trafford.
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