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Marcus Rashford had apparently been ruled out of tonight's game through illness - but some fans have sparked suggestions he could still play for Manchester United in their FA Cup quarter-final at Chelsea.

The 19-year-old was not among the travelling squad members who departed Stockport Station on Sunday afternoon but supporters claim Rashford got on the United train at Macclesfield Station separately.

Rashford'spossible availability could be an elaborate ploy by Jose Mourinho to lull former club Chelsea into a false sense of security by attempting to suggest United will be strikerless at Stamford Bridge. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, United's usual figurehead, is suspended.

It was suggested Rashford will miss the Cup tie through illness while Wayne Rooney and Anthony Martial are both sidelined through injury.

M.E.N. Sport revealed a 20-man United squad left Stockport Station without Rashford, Rooney or Martial but certain players have previously rendezvoused with the squad on their own.

Martial and Marouane Fellaini have previously turned up at The Lowry Hotel for home games before or after teammates on the club coach and Juan Mata linked up with the squad for the EFL Cup final after attending his grandfather's funeral earlier in the day.

Mourinho had a knack for developing a siege mentality at his previous clubs and his attempt to postpone United's Europa League round-of-16 first leg at Rostov over the state of the pitch was possibly another effort to intensify it.

The Portuguese has a long history of mind games in the build-up to anticipated fixtures and he was said to have hidden in a laundry skip to get round a Uefa touchline ban during his first season at Chelsea.

The then-Chelsea manager was forbidden from communicating with his staff or players during the Champions League quarter-final with Bayern Munich but was supposedly smuggled into the home dressing room. Mourinho's assistant, Rui Faria, was also suspected of having an earpiece wedged under his hat to speak to Mourinho.

Mourinho had incurred the wrath of Uefa through mind games in the previous round, having claimed Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard entered referee Anders Frisk's dressing room at half-time.

Frisk sent off Didier Drogba after the interval and Chelsea complained about his officiating to Uefa. Chelsea were rebuked for 'making false declarations' and Frisk quit refereeing amid death threats from Chelsea fans.

Ahead of United's visit, Chelsea coach Antonio Conte said: "I'm very focused on the pitch. The mind games don't bring you to win, above all if you face a team who is focused.

“We must talk during the game on the pitch, not before."

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