Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku leaves pitch on stretcher with an oxygen mask after sickening clash of heads with Wesley Hoedt
Medical staff were very careful to move the Belgian striker onto a stretcher and he hardly moved for minutes
MANCHESTER UNITED had a scary moment when Romelu Lukaku needed oxygen on the Old Trafford pitch.
After a clash of heads in the ninth minute with Southampon's Wesley Hoedt, the £75m striker was taken off on a stretcher.
Lukaku had hardly moved for minutes with Man United medical staff huddled around him for minutes.
He was seen by television cameras blinking, but a doctor held his head while he was lifted onto the stretcher.
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The 24-year-old was strapped in and carried off wearing an oxygen mask to a warm ovation from the Old Trafford fans.
Marcus Rashford came on to replace the Belgian forward early in the Premier League fixture.
Jose Mourinho said: “The doctor didn’t think twice about making the decision on Romelu. Because he has a problem — not just for today — but also for the next two matches I would say for sure.”
Mourinho had wanted to rest Lukaku, saying: “I was very honest with him, he was very honest with me. I said let’s go for rest but he said he wanted to sacrifice.”
After his eighth-minute injury needed five minutes of medical attention, Lukaku was further treated at Old Trafford with an ambulance on standby.
Mourinho said: “I know normally bad, bad news arrives immediately and bad news didn’t arrive.”