Man Utd confirm Rasmus Hojlund is set to miss Manchester derby as major injury blow revealed

Manchester United have confirmed that striker Rasmus Hojlund has suffered a muscle injury which is set to rule him out of next month's Manchester derby.

Hojlund has been in fine form for Erik ten Hag's side recently, scoring in all six of his most recent matches in all competitions.

The Dane netted a first half brace in the 2-1 win over Luton on Sunday, and has been one of United's key players in 2024 after adapting to life in the Premier League following his summer move from Atalanta.

However, Hojlund will miss the next two to three weeks with a muscle injury, the club have announced.

That news means he is all but ruled out of the trip to Manchester City, which takes place on March 3 - just eight days away.

ℹ️ Rasmus Hojlund has suffered a muscle injury which is expected to rule him out for two to three weeks.

Wishing you a speedy recovery, Rasmus 👊#MUFC

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) February 23, 2024

The exact timing of the injury has not been made clear at this stage, although he will definitely miss United's Premier League clash against Fulham on Saturday.

Candidates to replace Hojlund include Marcus Rashford, who could move infield from his usual spot on the left side of attack.

Anthony Martial, meanwhile, is still recovering from injury, meaning youngster Omari Forson would be the only other candidate unless Ten Hag dips into the club's academy ranks.

The Dutchman is due to speak to the media this afternoon in his traditional pre-match press conference, meaning we'll get his reaction about the injury to Hojlund prior to the Fulham fixture.

Hojlund and the rest of his United team-mates were visited at the club's Carrington training ground this week by Robin van Persie, who lifted United's last Premier League title in 2013.

Speaking on his Vibe with FIVE podcast, United legend Rio Ferdinand revealed: "Robin says he's asking a lot of questions, the sign of someone who wants to learn. A student.

"It's nice, that humility and humbleness to show. It bodes well for the future of this club."