Paul Ince’s Reading face Manchester United this weekend (Picture: Getty)
Reading boss and former Manchester United star Paul Ince ‘hopes’ Marcus Rashford is rested for this weekend’s FA Cup clash at Old Trafford.
Ince takes Championship side Reading to the Theatre of Dreams on Saturday looking to produce a stunning upset against 12-time winners Man United.
Reading, who are 14th in the Championship, beat former Premier League side Watford in the third round of the FA Cup, while United knocked out struggling Everton.
Ince says it would be foolish for his Reading side to focus on one particular Manchester United player but admits he would rather Rashford was given the weekend off.
England forward Rashford has scored 21 goals in 34 games this season, including ten in his last 10 appearances.
The 25-year-old continued his remarkable run of form on Wednesday night as Manchester United beat Nottingham Forest 3-0 in the first leg of their EFL Cup semi-final.
‘Hopefully he’s not going to play! I was a bit disappointed they won 3-0 the other night because he might play against us now because it looks like that tie is more or less over,’ Ince said at his pre-match press conference.
Marcus Rashford is enjoying his best season to date (Picture: Getty)
‘Like any player, it’s all about confidence and the right manager coming in and noticing how to build confidence. It is never easy because we saw in the past two years he had lost some of it.
‘To see him doing what he does best is great for Manchester United and their fans. He is unplayable at the moment, unstoppable.
‘The goal he scored against Forest showed what type of form he is in. We can’t be thinking about stopping Rashford though.
‘They have so many top players – Christian Eriksen, Bruno Fernandes, Wout Weghorst who got his first goal against Forest. It’s not about us stopping players, it’s about us going there and putting in a performance.’
Manchester United have not lifted any silverware since 2017 but appear to be on the right track under Erik ten Hag, who arrived from Ajax last summer.
The Red Devils are on the verge of reaching the EFL Cup final, have climbed to third in the Premier League and will soon turn their attentions to the knockout stages of the Europa League.
Asked about Ten Hag’s impact at Old Trafford, Ince added: ‘It looks to me as if he has risen the standards. He is doing it his way which is so important.
‘It helps when you’re winning games and have got a lot of money to spend. He has brought in the right players.
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‘For so many years we’ve talked about United’s recruitment. I feel like he is getting there with the players has brought in.
‘They are all starting to gel and that breeds confidence. When you go back to Sir Alex Ferguson and his success, it’s so important to have that stability.
‘You can’t keep chopping and changing managers anywhere. United have done that too often in the last four or five years. Hopefully he is there for a long time.’
While Manchester United brushed aside Nottingham Forest last time out, Reading travel to Old Trafford on the back of a 4-0 defeat to Stoke City.
MORE : Erik ten Hag criticises Man Utd squad after Nottingham Forest win
MORE : Roy Keane gives verdict on Manchester United signing Wout Weghorst
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Ince has been impressed by Ten Hag’s United.
