Marcus Rashford must start repaying bumper contract with goals to ignite Man Utd
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Manchester United need a spark to ignite their season and Marcus Rashford needs to rediscover the flame which burned so brightly last campaign.
Erik ten Hag will be hoping United’s dramatic last-gasp win over Brentford isn’t just something to briefly paper over the cracks. But the Dutchman should be dreaming of Rashford rediscovering his scoring touch which lit up United’s season last term to ensure it isn’t. That's what definitely can turn their horrid start around.
Ten Hag will want Rashford’s fine goal for England against Italy on Tuesday to be that moment that gets him back to his best. It was one of Rashford’s goals. The cut in across the box, the low strike with power and precision.
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United have only seen it once so far this season when it came against Arsenal back in September. Rashford has been nowhere near the level of the man who found the net 34 times last season as United won the Carabao Cup and finished third in the Premier League.
The arrival of Rasmus Hojlund was supposed to take the burden off Rashford to constantly be the goalscorer. It shouldn’t have meant the goals dried up. But as the Danish summer signing continues to find his feet in the Premier League, Rashford needs to step up if United are to get out of the hole they’re currently in.
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It’s a huge week for Ten Hag after another dramatic fortnight with the ownership of the club, starting tonight when they travel to Sheffield United. Then they face a must-win Champions League clash with FC Copenhagen on Tuesday before the small matter of the Manchester derby next Sunday.
Rashford is now the club’s highest-paid player after he was rightly rewarded with a bumper new deal in the summer – but now it is time to start repaying it. What Ten Hag should take confidence from with Rashford’s England goal was there were options for him to pass but he had the belief to take on the shot and it was a significant strike to put the Three Lions in front.
Rashford has shown too many doubts this season on the ball. He appears to hear the noise that he should find Hojlund rather than shoot but he’s still a deadly finisher. Too often, the 25-year-old forward starts games well but then drops his head as soon as something goes wrong for him.
It’s a common theme among the United team. See performances against Tottenham, Brighton, Crystal Palace and Brentford (until stoppage time) – start well, concede, lose control and run out of ideas. Rinse and repeat.
But Rashford can take them out of that cycle. Now he needs to get going.
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Arsenal finally beat Manchester City and Mike Arteta got the better of his old boss Pep Guardiola at last.
But it will count for little if they don’t continue it today against Chelsea. It will count for little if they don’t lift the Premier League trophy in May.
Arteta and Arsenal struck the first blow, they’ve shown they’ve now got to a level where they can compete with City on the pitch. Now the next challenge is showing they can last the pace in the title race.
The win two weeks ago at the Emirates only opened up a two-point gap on City but it was the psychological barrier they passed which was huge. Now the next test is to turn the screw on the champions.
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ONSIDE
Mo Salah. Showing politicians and sporting figures how you tackle the tough issues with his strong words on Gaza.
OFFSIDE
Neymar. Nobody wanted to see him go to Saudi but still so sad to see a fine player suffer an ACL injury.
- Champions League
- Premier League
- Marcus Rashford
- Neymar
- Pep Guardiola
- Manchester United FC
- Erik ten Hag
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