Marcus Rashford’s back was giving him such pain in the days leading up to his fateful appearance against Wolverhampton Wanderers last week that he was struggling just to sit down for an interview, it has emerged.

The Manchester United and England striker filmed an interview with Ryan Giggs at Hotel Football next to Old Trafford the weekend of the 4-0 win over Norwich but the discomfort in his back was so acute that he was forced to stand up for long periods of it.

Despite concerns about his existing back problems, Rashford was then brought on as a second half substitute in the FA Cup third round replay at home to Wolves a few days later and suffered a double stress fracture following a collision with Matt Doherty that will keep up him for up to three months, and possibly longer.

With Harry Kane already sidelined until April, Rashford’s injury raises more fears for Gareth Southgate, the England manager, ahead of Euro 2020 this summer.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer denied after his side’s 2-0 defeat by Liverpool on Sunday - which led to former captain Gary Neville calling for the club’s executive vice-chairman, Ed Woodward, to be sacked - that Rashford had gone into the Wolves match with a single stress fracture.