VAN GAAL GIVES UPDATED BULLETIN ON MANCHESTER UNITED STAR MAN AHEAD OF ARSENAL SHOWDOWN

Louis van Gaal has provided an update on the fitness of Anthony Martial after he pulled out of Manchester United’s clash against Midtjylland on Monday night.

The striker broke down in the warm-up with a hamstring injury and was replaced in the team by Marcus Rashford, who scored twice on debut in a 5-1 thumping.

Anthony Martial

Van Gaal praised Martial for ruling himself out of the tie and assured supporters the injury was not a serious one.

“I have to say the first impression is it is not heavy,” Van Gaal told a media conference. “He can be tired because he is only 20 and he has played all the matches, so it is not so remarkable. But what is remarkable is he stepped down himself.”

Martial become the second United player in a week to be injured in the warm-up after David de Gea suffered a knee injury while preparing for the first leg of the Midtjylland tie eight days ago.

Van Gaal said: “It is unbelievable. The only muscle injury is Fellaini and that we know already when he plays so many matches in a row, it’s always like that.

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“But when you don’t have other players it is difficult when you have to change or rotate, so the next muscle injury would be Martial but I don’t think he has a muscle injury, because he is very intelligent and steps down when he is tired.

“It is ridiculous [the warm-up injuries] but you have to cope with that. It is difficult also for the team because after David de Gea now Martial, they have both played a very good season and they have to be replaced and we are replacing them.”