Manchester United is using the crest of a wave due to the scintillating type of Marcus Rashford, which is conserving Erik ten Hag’s males within the hunt for trophies on 4 fronts.
The Red Devils may finish a six-year await any silverware on Sunday when it faces Newcastle within the League Cup remaining.
But first comes the possibility to land the scalp of Barcelona in a heavyweight Europa League conflict on Thursday.
After an enthralling first leg at Camp Nou, the edges are degree at 2-2 as Rashford carried his carve-up of Premier League defences onto the European stage.
The England worldwide turned a 1-0 deficit right into a 2-1 lead for United in a seven-minute spell in Catalonia as he smashed residence at Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s close to publish then drilled in a cross that pressured Jules Kounde to show into his personal internet.
Another two targets in a 3-0 win over Leicester on Sunday that pulled United into Premier League title competition took his tally for the season to an already career-best 24.
But his explosion because the World Cup break is much more exceptional.
No participant in Europe’s prime 5 leagues comes near the 25-year-old’s 20 purpose involvements, with 16 targets and 4 assists since getting back from Qatar.
“I don’t feel like slowing down,” mentioned Rashford after leaving Leicester defenders trailing in his wake.
“I’m always looking to push and improve.”
Out from Ronaldo’s shadow
There can be a way of a participant making up for misplaced time.
After lacking a penalty in England’s Euro 2020 remaining heartache towards Italy, Rashford badly struggled for health and kind final season.
He was not the one one to disappoint in a disastrous marketing campaign for United.
Ten Hag has reworked the temper round Old Trafford in his first season in cost — however Rashford’s return to kind has been pivotal in a squad in any other case brief on targets.
It can be onerous to disregard that his scorching streak has coincided with Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure from the membership in the course of the World Cup.
Rashford has stepped out from the shadow of the five-time Ballon d’Or winner to change into the participant United followers dreamed he may change into after bursting onto the scene as a fresh-faced teenager in 2016.
“I think as a manager, as a coaching staff we have to push them but finally it comes from the player,” mentioned Ten Hag on Rashford taking private duty to ship on his potential.
“When he loses focus then the scoring will stop. (That’s) clear.
“He has so many skills, such high potential and I think there can be even more. When he works well, he will even score more goals because he can score with his left, right and his head.”
The subject for United is what occurs ought to Rashford fail to take care of his unparallelled scoring streak.
He has been an ever-present in United’s 17 video games in a brutal schedule because the World Cup.
There had been indicators of fatigue in how the guests ended up clinging on for a draw within the closing phases at Camp Nou final week.
But Ten Hag is relying on the gang on the “Theatre of Dreams” to will his aspect over the road for what can be United’s greatest European scalp since Rashford’s penalty dumped Paris Saint-Germain out of the Champions League in 2019.
“Come Thursday, it is a big game, make sure you are there,” mentioned Ten Hag in an handle to the supporters on Sunday. “We will beat Barcelona together.”
