Jose Mourinho has assured Marcus Rashford that he will get opportunities to play for Manchester United across all competitions this season.
Rashford has not played a part in either of United's opening two Premier League matches of the campaign, with new signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic leading the attack instead.
Ibrahimovic, who arrived on a free transfer after leaving Paris St-Germain at the end of June, has justified his place by scoring three goals in those two league games.
However, that has meant no place in the starting line-up for academy graduate Rashford, who scored eight times in 18 games last season after breaking into the United first-team in February.
His form earned him a place in England's Euro 2016 squad, but he has dropped down to the Under-21 side for their Euro 2017 qualifier against Norway on September 6.
Mourinho, who takes his team to Hull City in the Premier League on Saturday, feels that the 18-year-old does have the ability to succeed at Old Trafford in the long-term, though.
He said: “Marcus will play a lot. I cannot choose competitions. I cannot say Zlatan doesn't play one single match in the Europa League because that is not the case. I cannot say Marcus doesn't start matches in the Premier League because that is not the case.
“Marcus is a young and talented player. That is why we didn't buy more strikers. If you don't trust him or want him to play, then you would buy other strikers. That is not the case.
“Zlatan is playing and he is showing why he is being selected. Marcus is striker number two at the moment. For an 18-year-old boy, he is amazing.”
Mourinho feels that Rashford, who has never previously played for his country's Under-21 side despite having three senior caps, will benefit from the experience he will get from joining up with Gareth Southgate's squad.
“I prefer that he is not selected for the national team, because he could be on the bench behind Harry Kane and Jamie Vardy and all the experienced players and play one minute.
“I would prefer him to play for the Under-21s. It will depend on what Southgate decides but I would expect Marcus to play 90 or 80 minutes, which will contribute to his development.”
United, meanwhile, will avoid the perils of a trip to war-torn eastern Ukraine when they face Zorya Luhansk in the Europa League in December.
The tie is set to be moved 560 miles across the country to the southern port city of Odessa on safety grounds - as the Ukrainian Premier League club have been unable to play in Luhansk for more than two years.
However, UK Foreign Office advice has still warned visitors to be vigilant, as there have been security incidents, including bombs, across the country in recent months.
Ukraine has been considered a security risk since Russia took control of the Crimean peninsula, in the south of the country, in 2014. – The Independent