What happened to Markus Rashford again? 

What happened to Markus Rashford again?

After Sunday’s 3-0 loss to City – which was much more one-sided than that scoreline suggests – Rashford has had the second most shots in the Premier League this season with 34, second only to City’s Erling Haaland, who scored twice at Old Trafford. A tale of two forwards right now.

But it would also be wrong to suggest he has been starved of service. That is simply not the case.

Of those 34 shots only seven have been on target – 20.6 per cent shot on target ratio.

 

Note too that out of all the Premier League players with at least 20 shots this season, only Luton Town’s Carlton Morris (17.4 per cent) and Liverpool’s Luis Diaz (20 per cent) have proven more wayward than Rashford in front of goal.

 

There is criticism of Rashford for myriad reasons. One, he has shown he is capable of playing significantly better. Two, his mammoth new deal will rightly bring a greater level of scrutiny – and so it has.

 

 

Should he remain at United through until this deal expires in 2028, Rashford will earn £78million. Fans want results, and more importantly trophies, for that sort of money. Right now he looks a shell of the player many thought they would see this season.

bring a greater level of scrutiny – and so it has.

 

 

Should he remain at United through until this deal expires in 2028, Rashford will earn £78million. Fans want results, and more importantly trophies, for that sort of money. Right now he looks a shell of the player many thought they would see this season.

 

One of United’s problems is that the team around him has proven to be so disjointed. Particularly in attack, United have fires springing up all over the place.

 

Erik ten Hag is scratching his head working with an attack that has played a combined 2,288 minutes this Premier League season with just one goal and one asisst to show for it.

 

That goal and assist? They would be courtesy of Rashford.

When the team is not playing well, which it isn’t, you are not going to have the same numbers or the same performances that he had last season when things were going really well,’ Jamie Carragher told Sky Sports at the weekend.

 

‘But he has to do more.

 

‘I have always had the same opinion about Rashford, he’s not world-class, but he’s probably the level below that. But if United want to get back to winning the league, or winning the European Cup, which is something they should always be judged against, Marcus Rashford can’t be your best attacker.’

His partnership with Rasmus Hojlund (right) is still a work in progress and he is finding it hard to carry the load like he did so successfully last season when he scored 30 goals

Carragher was not done there, adding: ‘United need someone better than Rashford to go and win that. It’s not a criticism of him, but of the players he is playing with.

 

‘If Rashford is United’s best attacker, as he has been under the last two or three managers, United won’t be winning leagues or European Cups.’

 

As an FA Cup winner, Europa League winner and two-time League Cup winner, Rashford would no doubt reject the idea that United cannot win with him as their best attacker.

 

But an inability to carry the load this season, having done so so impressively last season, is telling.

 

His only Premier League goal came at Arsenal in September; a brilliant finish that was a flash of the talent he showed with such consistency a season ago.

 

Only now the flashes are so intermittent.

 

While Carragher gave a rather damning verdict on United’s trophy prospects with Rashford as their star man, former United captain Roy Keane has, for a change, shown a degree of sympathy.

 

‘I do think it’s unfair to compare it to last year because he was so brilliant,’ Keane said.

 

‘I always worry for a player when they sign a mega contract in the summer – I always worry for players, not just Marcus, that some players ease off a bit.

 

‘But, if anybody can produce for United, then Marcus is more than capable, he’s done it before.’

 

Premier League football is a case of what have you done for me lately? And lately Rashford hasn’t backed up the promise he made when penning that mega deal in July.

Everyone at Manchester United backs him, the whole team is supportive of him and believes in him.’

 

Now, with United’s season at risk of spiralling even further out of control, the onus is on Rashford to shake himself from his slumber. If not, things could well go from bad to worse.