Marcus
Rashford has had a mixed few weeks for Manchester United.
After
scoring in consecutive Premier League games for the first time in almost a
year, the England international was excluded from the squad that beat Newport
County in the FA Cup fourth round.
As the Red
Devils prepare to face Wolves on Thursday night, we take a look at the highs
and lows of Rashford's campaign so far.
Missing
the Marc
Rashford has
not hit the heights of his previous campaign, finding the net only four times
in the Premier League this season.
Although he
has 10 goal contributions in all competitions, he remains way off his tally of
41 goals and assists in 56 appearances for United in 2022-23.
This
included a run of scoring 10 times in as many top-flight games between December
and February and finishing sixth in the Golden Boot race with 17 strikes.
We saw
glimpses of Rashford at his scintillating best in the recent 2-2 draw with
Tottenham but there has not been enough consistency in his performances.
If he is to
stake a claim for a starting berth at Euro 2024, the 59-cap international will
need to pick things up between now and May.
An
internal matter
Erik ten Hag
said his No10 reported ill ahead of United's cup tie in South Wales but the
Dutch coach seemed less than impressed with the 26-year-old.
He labelled
the situation as an "internal matter" and something he will deal with
in due course.
But Premier
League legend Alan Shearer believes there could be more to the story and warns
Rashford not to waste his time at the top.
Ex-England
marksman Shearer, 53, said: "If it is an internal matter you would think
something is up. There is a huge talent in there with Rashford.
"We saw
him be disciplined last season when he was late for a meeting and he actually
missed a game but something is clearly wrong, either at home or with his
relationship with the football club, because he can't keep doing this.
"He
can't waste his talent, it's not right and he needs strong management and
someone to get hold of him and say, 'you know what, if you get to the end of
your career and have huge regrets, you can't have that'."
Rashford is
no longer a kid and is arguably entering the peak years of his career at the
elite level.
Having burst
on to the scene at 18, the homegrown hero had a weight of expectation on his
shoulders, which was always going to be difficult to match.
His brace
against Arsenal on his Premier League debut remains firmly etched in fans'
memories and it would be harsh to label him as a wasted talent having scored 127
goals and collected three major trophies.
But there is
no denying United's 2022-2023 Player of the Year struggles for consistency.
His erratic
levels of output and tendency to drift in and out of games can be a frustration
for coaches and supporters alike.
If the Red
Devils are to qualify for the Champions League and contend for FA Cup glory,
they need their academy graduate to rekindle his best form.
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