For Manchester United sensation Marcus Rashford, it seems that art imitates life. The past year has been tumultuous for the Englishman, marred by multiple incidents ranging from speeding offenses to personal mishaps.

Just recently, Rashford was handed a six-month driving ban for speeding in December 2023. Yet, just two days before his court hearing for this offense, another troubling incident occurred; though this time the Englishman wasn’t even behind the wheel.

Now on Friday, the United duo of Tyrell Malacia and Marcus Rashford were engaged in terrible vehicle accidents.

According to The Sun, he was traveling behind his own Range Rover when it was struck by a black Mercedes.

The Range Rover was being driven by a friend of Rashford’s, with United defender Tyrell Malacia as the front passenger. Following the collision, both Malacia and the driver were advised to seek medical attention and were taken to the hospital.

Cheshire Police confirmed their involvement, stating that they responded to the scene where a blue Range Rover Sport and a black Mercedes C220 AMG Sport had collided.

The driver of the Mercedes, a 55-year-old woman, was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving; she was also taken to Macclesfield Hospital for examination.

Despite the serious nature of the crash, doctors cleared both players and suffered no significant injuries.

Malacia was released from the hospital with no injuries following the accident.
Malacia was released from the hospital with no injuries following the accident.

Malacia’s condition and recovery

Malacia, who missed the entirety of the previous season due to a knee injury, was quickly discharged from the hospital and resumed individual training the next day. He is currently following a personalized recovery plan in Manchester. Thus, he did not join the team for their preseason tour in the United States. However, will rejoin the squad soon as he continues his rehabilitation.

Despite not being directly responsible for the latest incident, Rashford’s string of misfortunes continues to cast a shadow over his career. Last season was particularly challenging for him, both on and off the pitch. However, the 26-year-old remains determined to rediscover his best form. He has traveled with the squad to Los Angeles for the preseason training under Erik Ten Hag.

Impact on Manchester United

These incidents come at a critical time for Manchester United as they prepare for the new season. The club is navigating through a period of transition, and key players like Malacia are working towards full fitness. While the accident involving Rashford’s car was an unfortunate event, the swift recovery of both Malacia and Rashford’s friend is a relief for the team.

The fact that the striker failed to score ten goals in the 2023-24 season was one reason why Gareth Southgate did not choose the attacker for the European Championship. The striker’s erratic play and eight goals last season helped the Red Devils finish ninth in the Premier League.

In the end, he didn’t make the cut for England‘s Euro 2024 team, when they went all the way to the final but were defeat by Spain in Berlin. Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has spoken highly of new assistant coach Ruud van Nistelrooy, saying that he would do his best to get Marcus Rashford playing at a high level again.

Photo credit: IMAGO / Gonzales Photo