Marcus Rashford is about to do something no Manchester United player has done for a decade
Last season, Marcus Rashford only scored five goals and it seemed unlikely that he would score ten goals this season.
He is close to reaching his 350th appearance for Manchester United and had his worst scoring season since he joined the first team in 2016 under Louis van Gaal.
Due to his shoulder surgery, he missed pre-season and his performance declined so much last season that fans were worried about his well-being.
Initially, the player appeared disconnected, without confidence, and unlikely to meet the high expectations set by Erik ten Hag. But, a few months have passed, and now, at 25 years old, he is having the most successful scoring season of his career, and there are no indications of him slowing down.
Marcus Rashford scored his 26th goal of the season for Manchester United with an impressive first goal in their 4-1 victory over Real Betis in the Europa League.
He is getting closer to scoring 30 goals this season. Manchester United is still competing in the Europa League and the FA Cup, and has 13 remaining Premier League fixtures to play, which means Rashford could make up to 22 more appearances before the end of the season if the club progresses in both cup competitions.
Rashford has a good chance of becoming the first Manchester United player since Robin van Persie in the 2012/13 season to score 30 goals in a single season, surpassing the near-misses of Zlatan Ibrahimovic (2016/17) and Bruno Fernandes (2020/21) who both failed to exceed 28 goals.
Marcus Rashford has scored five goals in the Europa League this season and is now in a strong position to match or exceed Robin van Persie’s tally of 30 goals in a single season.
This would make him the first Manchester United player to achieve this feat since Sir Alex Ferguson retired a decade ago. Given his struggles last season, it seemed unlikely that Rashford would have the opportunity to score that many goals this season.
In fact, he only managed to score eight goals in all competitions before leaving for the World Cup in November. However, since returning from the tournament, he has been unstoppable, scoring an impressive 18 goals in just 22 games.
This includes scoring the winning goal in the Manchester derby, becoming the first United player to score against Barcelona at the Camp Nou since Dwight Yorke in 1998, and scoring in a domestic cup final at Wembley.
Under the guidance of Erik ten Hag, Marcus Rashford has gained a lot of confidence and a clear understanding of his role in the team. Even when there were rumors of interest from Paris Saint-Germain last August, Ten Hag made it clear how important Rashford was to his plans.
This has enabled Rashford to rebuild his career at Manchester United, and he is now being compared to the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland, primarily due to his excellent goalscoring form. However, he should also be praised for his ability to provide assists and his willingness to play in multiple positions on the pitch.
Although Marcus Rashford has frequently stated that his best position is on the left-wing, he has performed exceptionally well this season when playing through the middle or on the right flank.
His selfless playing style is evident from his nine assists this season, which highlights his willingness to put the team’s interests before his own.
Rashford also demonstrated his abilities at the World Cup, scoring three goals in five appearances, including two in the 3-0 victory over Wales. Across all competitions, for both club and country, he has contributed to a total of 38 goals (goals and assists) in 46 games so far this season.
Marcus Rashford’s current form is remarkable, especially when compared to his struggles last season. Erik ten Hag’s influence on Rashford’s development has been significant, much like the impact he has had on the entire Manchester United team. With the numbers Rashford has achieved this season, he will be expected to continue hitting such high numbers in the years ahead.
For nearly a decade, Robin van Persie has been the last Manchester United player to score 30 goals in a single season, but Rashford has the potential to surpass that mark with ease. Considering the possibility of another 22 games to go, one might wonder if setting a target of 40 goals for Rashford would be unrealistic.
Marcus Rashford is about to do something no Manchester United player has done for a decade
