With Manchester United talisman Marcus Rashford set to return from a shoulder injury, there have been plenty of questions asked of the versatile forward as he comes back to Old Trafford to start a fresh season. Following a handful of appearances at Euro 2020, culminating with a missed penalty against Italy in the final, Red Devils academy graduate Rashford was sent for surgery following a persistent shoulder issue, delaying his start to the campaign.
Despite shelling out big money for Cristiano Ronaldo and Jadon Sancho during the transfer window, there appears to be space for Rashford to secure his spot in the starting eleven, with some recent lacklustre performances leaving questions to be asked of manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær. The Red Devils have already dropped crucial points in the league this season, where they would have been favourites to win against the likes of Southampton and Aston Villa, as they approach a five-year barren spell of silverware. Those missed points seriously hampered their status in the Premier League winner odds. However, their current squad fits the criteria to end the trophy drought and having Rashford back in the fold will certainly be encouraging.
Having been a regular in the first team since 2016, Rashford certainly possesses the experience required to help get the best of the other wide men at the club. Mason Greenwood’s development is redolent to Rashford’s, having broke through the academy as a striker but also being able to occupy space out wide.
Coupled with Sancho’s youthful exuberance, it may be strange for Rashford to be considered a senior figure in the squad, especially with the plethora of world class talent like Ronaldo, Edinson Cavani and Bruno Fernandes in the dressing room, but at 23, Rashford already has over 150 appearances for the club and knows what it takes to make the grade, serving as a positive influence for the young players both on and off the pitch, while also boosting United’s chances of winning more games in Premier League predictions.
This summer certainly hasn’t been an easy one for Rashford, having faced so much adversity through his penalty at the Euros and consequentially the racist abuse he endured. However, the football world came together to show solidarity to Rashford, Sancho and Bukayo Saka and their maturity and elite mentality is a breath of fresh air and something that can really benefit United this season. The mural composed in his honour this summer shows that while the deep-rooted issues in football still exist, the vast majority among us appreciate what the forward has done.
“The messages I’ve received today have been positively overwhelming and seeing the response in Withington had me on the verge of tears.” He said: “The communities that always wrapped their arms around me continue to hold me up. I’m Marcus Rashford, 23-year-old, black man from Withington and Wythenshawe, South Manchester. If I have nothing else I have that.”
Despite facing so much hardship and then having an injury piled on top of it, there certainly needs to be patience from the United fans, but the fearlessness and ingenuity associated with Rashford won’t be disappearing anytime soon, and he can expect a hero’s return when he graces the Stretford End on his return — with the feel-good factor around the North West making a return in recent weeks.
