After not being selected for the England squad in September, Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford are facing a race against the clock to determine whether or not they will be able to play in the World Cup. Although the race is not yet over, the clock is ticking loudly.

United have just six more games to play before Gareth Southgate has to finalize his 26-man squad for Qatar, and it would appear that the forwards have little chance of making it back into the squad at this point.

This year, Sancho has not been selected for an England squad, and Rashford has not been selected for an England squad since the European Championship. Both have gotten off to strong starts for Erik ten Hag's United this season, but it has not been enough, although Rashford's injury has been a factor in this.

Ten Hag stated on Wednesday that it was "obvious" that Rashford could still go to the World Cup despite his injury in a press event that was held in an old school sports hall that had been repackaged as a press reception area in Chisinau. After Sancho scored again in the victory against Sheriff Tiraspol a little over 24 hours later, he was a little more cautious and careful, insisting that selection is the job of the England manager. This came after Sancho had scored again in the win against Sheriff Tiraspol.

It is indisputable that both players have grown as a result of Ten Hag's coaching, and on Thursday night, the Dutchman insisted that "they will progress even more." Last year, Rashford played in 32 games and scored five goals; so far this season, he has three goals in six games. After scoring five goals in 38 games in his first season with the club, Sancho now has three goals in eight games.

Erik Ten Hag on Ronaldo Rashford

Before his match in the UEFA Europa League against Real Sociedad, Erik Ten Hag gave his thoughts on Cristiano Ronaldo and Marcus Rashford.

However, what could be England's disadvantage could be United's advantage. Although the absence of the majority of his squad makes it difficult to work on team structure, Sancho and Rashford could benefit from more specific instruction on their roles and responsibilities. Ten Hag has stated that he will work with Sancho and Rashford at Carrington during the international break, if they are both available.

"We will do a really good job of filling in the period. We are able to get more specific. That might be helpful if you want to keep going with the season. We are aware that following this break there will be a game approximately once every three days," said Ten Hag.

Because the schedule for this season is so packed with games, it is beneficial to have players who are as valuable as Sancho stay home and avoid going on international duty. He has shown signs of life in the most recent games, and he will likely have something to prove when the teams return to the Etihad Stadium after the break.

It is unfortunate for any player to miss the World Cup, but for English players like Sancho and Rashford who were expected to be a part of England's long-term future just a little over a year ago, missing a major tournament will be beneficial to their clubs this season.

The upcoming World Cup in Qatar, which will take place in November and December, casts a shadow over this season. In addition to causing significant headaches regarding the scheduling of fixtures, it will also drain players both physically and emotionally.

Although United have not yet disclosed any plans for the duration of the tournament, other clubs are already holding training camps for their players who are not on international duty. Before being required to report back, the players will most likely be given a break of two to three weeks.

Anthony Martial, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Antony will all look to make their mark on the world's largest stage, but it is possible that France will overlook Anthony Martial. Anthony Martial plays forward for Manchester United. It's possible that three of United's best forwards will get a month off at a crucial point in the season thanks to this development.

Even though Martial is currently sidelined with an injury, which has deprived him of the opportunity to build on the momentum he gained during the preseason, it seems as though Ten Hag will still use him in some capacity.

Before the October 21 deadline for selecting a team for the World Cup, the two English players will face off against Manchester City, Everton, Newcastle, and Tottenham in the Premier League, as well as Omonia Nicosia twice in the Europa League. The deadline for selecting a team for the World Cup is October 21.