Manchester United’s golden boy, Marcus Rashford, once the ace player, seems to have misplaced his magic wand, much to the frustration of manager Erik ten Hag. Admitting his dissatisfaction with Rashford’s form, Ten Hag remains hopeful that the star will reclaim his glory this season.
Rashford’s recent disputed red card in Copenhagen intensified United’s woes, leading to a shocking collapse and a 4-3 defeat, plummeting them to the bottom of their Champions League group.
Despite Gareth Southgate’s faith in Rashford, his goal tally this season—only one from 15 appearances—is a stark contrast to his 30-goal marvel last season.
Ten Hag expressed, “He’s not happy, we’re not happy. There are high expectations, but I believe he’ll bounce back when the team performs better. I’m confident he’ll regain his form and score goals this season.”
Ten Hag’s words are a clear sign of support for Rashford, who has been criticized by some fans and pundits for his recent performances.
However, the Dutchman is also under pressure to deliver results, and he knows that he needs Rashford to be firing on all cylinders if United are to turn things around.
Mount is another player who needs to start performing better if he is to justify his £55 million price tag.
The 24-year-old has shown glimpses of his talent in a United shirt, but he has yet to produce the kind of consistent performances that have made him one of the most highly-rated midfielders in England.
Ten Hag’s insistence that his side are due a turnaround in fortune may seem optimistic to some, but he is right to point out that United have a talented squad.
The problem for Ten Hag is that he has not yet been able to get his team playing to their full potential.
If he can manage to do that, then United could still be a force to be reckoned with this season. However, if they continue to perform like they have in recent weeks, then they are in for a long season.