Rising Star: The Remarkable Turnaround of Marcus Rashford’s Form and Potential

Marcus Rashford is in the form of his life. The Manchester United forward has been scoring goals at an incredible rate and is showing that he has the potential to become one of the best players in the world. His recent form is all the more remarkable when considering how the 2021/22 season began for him.

Some even suggested that his Manchester United career had fizzled out as he made just 20 Premier League appearances. His struggle for form and fitness appeared, to many, to be terminal.

But now, Rashford has become a force of nature. While Manchester United, under coach Erik Ten Hag, have generally lacked firepower in the final third of the pitch this season, Rashford has been the exception. Alongside Erling Haaland, he has been the most devastating forward in English football over the last few months.

“There are many players who are playing well, but I am pleased with Marcus, his performance and his progress,” said Ten Hag. “He has been growing since the beginning of the season and continues to do so. We need to keep this process going and if he maintains this mindset and spirit, I believe he is unstoppable.”

Ten Hag also highlighted the importance of the team getting Rashford into the right positions, and allowing players like Bruno Fernandes and Christian Eriksen to be creative in the final third and create unexpected moments.

Rashford has primarily been deployed on the left wing this season and has been given the freedom to attack opponents. He has never been more confident in his attacking style. This has been evident in some of the goals he has scored, such as the powerful dribble-and-finish goals against Wolves and Nottingham Forest.

The loan signing of Wout Weghorst from Burnley could also be a boost for Rashford in the second half of the season. Weghorst’s movement is creating more space in the attacking third for Manchester United, and Rashford is taking advantage of it. While Weghorst may not score many goals himself, his presence could be reflected in Rashford’s goal tally.

It is intriguing to consider how England’s national team manager, Gareth Southgate, views Rashford’s recent form, given the limited playing time he was given at the 2022 World Cup. Rashford scored twice in England’s 3-0 win over Wales, but was only given five minutes off the bench as the team was eliminated in the quarterfinals by France.

Paris Saint-Germain have been linked with Rashford as discussions about a new contract have begun. However, Manchester United will likely do everything in their power to keep their star player.