Manchester United suffer another huge injury setback with Rasmus Hojlund set to miss three weeks

could be without for up to three weeks after the in-form striker suffered a muscle strain.

The summer signing from Atalanta endured a torrid start to his Untied career but has been in prolific goalscoring form since breaking his duck against last month.

Hojlund scored a brace in last week’s 2-1 win over Luton that further enhanced his side’s chances of a top four finish and took his tally to eight goals in his last eight matches in all competitions.

The 21-year-old Dane is ruled out of Saturday’s game against Fulham and is also a major doubt for the Manchester derby on March 3.

‘It’s a small injury, two or three weeks,’ confirmed Erik ten Hag. ‘It’s the risk, playing high intensity. It’s not a big injury but he has to wait for two or three weeks.’

His absence will leave Ten Hag short of options in attack with Anthony Martial already missing, and is a second significant setback this week following news that Luke Shaw will miss several months with a leg problem.

The loss of Hojlund could see Marcus Rashford asked to play in a central role, although the England star has struggled to impress when deployed through the middle this season.

Rashford turned in a particularly abject performance against Spurs back in August which prompted Roy Keane to admonish him and brand him a child.

He said: ‘Rashford playing up through the middle again the usual stuff. He’s like a child out there playing up through the middle?

‘His first few touches when he gets it suggest he doesn’t want to play up through the middle but you have to you got to do a job for the team tonight.’

United’s injury list has grown considerably of late, with Hojlund and Shaw joining Martial, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Lisandro Martinez, Mason Mount and Tyrell Malacia on the sidelines.

Last weekend’s 2-1 win at Luton was only the second match this season in which Ten Hag had named an unchanged side.