Are these Rashford's 10 best United games?

28 FEBRUARY 2016 | PREMIER LEAGUE | OLD TRAFFORD

 

Background: Just three days after his two-goal debut in the Europa League win over Midtjylland, Marcus was thrown in for his first Premier League appearance against a title-chasing Arsenal. 

 

Contribution: The 18-year-old terrorised the visitors, pressing their backline incessantly and leading the line with a veteran’s know-how. Throw in a quickfire brace either side of the half-hour, plus a composed assist for Ander Herrera’s winner, and it’s little wonder the teen received a standing ovation and Sky Sports’s Man of the Match award. 

 

Reaction: “It’s unbelievable,” said manager Louis van Gaal, who likened Rashford’s instant impact to that of Patrick Kluivert, Xavi and Thomas Muller, who also made their senior debuts under the Dutchman’s charge. “I have always said it is not a matter of age, it is a matter of quality, and he shows it.”

16 APRIL 2017 | PREMIER LEAGUE | OLD TRAFFORD

 

Background: Drip-fed into the action in Jose Mourinho’s first term as manager, Marcus started up front with Jesse Lingard against Antonio Conte’s champions-elect.

 

Contribution: United’s Academy graduates terrorised the visitors, with Rashford a constant menace for the hosts on the counterattack. Having already chanced his arm once, Marcus latched on to a sublime Ander Herrera through ball after just seven minutes to clip home a clever finish. All game, Rashford targeted Blues defender Gary Cahill and ran amok, giving the visitors no breathing room in which to plot a comeback, hopes of which were completely dashed by Herrera’s deflected clincher.

 

Reaction: ‘Rashford’s inclusion ahead of Zlatan Ibrahimovic was a stunner, but Mourinho was vindicated,’ wrote The Independent’s Miguel Delaney. ‘Playing two speedsters up top ended up stretching Chelsea’s defence to breaking point.’

 

10 MARCH 2018 | PREMIER LEAGUE | OLD TRAFFORD 

 

Background: Marcus had gone without a Premier League start for more than 10 weeks while Mourinho trialled newcomer Alexis Sanchez. He was recalled, however, for a must-win showdown with Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool in the race for Champions League qualification. 

 

Contribution: Aided by an unstoppable Romelu Lukaku, the jet-heeled no.19 rode roughshod over Trent Alexander-Arnold all afternoon. United’s game plan was no-nonsense – Marcus was tasked with looking for flick-ons from Lukaku – not to mention devastatingly effective. United mustered two shots on target all game, both from Rashford in the opening period. The first was a sensationally powerful effort, the second a measured finish, and both combined to secure a priceless win. 

 

Reaction: “He scares defenders,” noted BBC Radio 5 Live pundit Chris Waddle. “He is very direct, he gets at people and we know he can finish too – his first goal was brilliant.”

19 JANUARY 2019 | PREMIER LEAGUE | OLD TRAFFORD 

 

Background: United’s form under interim manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer prompted a mid-season resurgence, with Rashford at its epicentre.

 

Contribution: On his 150th outing for his boyhood club, Marcus was a fitting match-winner. Having twice come close, he followed up Paul Pogba’s penalty with a sublime shot into the Stretford End postage stamp and almost had a sensational assist too, had Jesse Lingard been able to convert his brilliant cross.

 

Reaction: “He has been top class,” said Solskjaer. “You start with work rate. He has that, works like no one else, runs channels, holds the ball up. He has calmed down in front of goal and he’s very assured and is practising all the time.” The Norwegian’s sentiments were shared, with Marcus duly picking up his first Premier League Player of the Month award.

 

4 DECEMBER 2019 | PREMIER LEAGUE | OLD TRAFFORD 

 

Background: Jose Mourinho’s first return to M16 since his time as United manager had ended would coincide with a stuttering run of form for the Reds – though Marcus was in his best scoring form of the season... 

 

Contribution: Six minutes in, Rashford caught goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga off guard with a fizzing near-post effort, and might have had a hat-trick by the break, but for a free-kick just wide and a thumping long-ranger against the crossbar. His second soon arrived after the break when he won and converted a penalty, sealing a memorable personal performance and a vital Premier League win. 

 

Reaction: “When he plays from the left he is really dangerous and I knew that and gave the players the best information about it,” said Mourinho, while Solskjaer hailed: “It’s like Marcus was back in the playground or the back garden.”

16 JULY 2020 | PREMIER LEAGUE | SELHURST PARK

 

Background: Three games from the end of a pandemic-hit 2019/20 campaign, United needed three points at Selhurst Park to remain in contention for Champions League qualification.

 

Contribution: Had fans been allowed inside the stadium at the time, the Palace faithful would have been silenced by Marcus’s fine opener. Taking a Bruno Fernandes pass in his stride, United’s no.10 dragged two defenders and goalkeeper Vicente Guaita left, then sat them all down by switching back and stroking home a right-footed finish. Moments after, Fernandes then planted a Rashford pull-back against the upright, but Marcus got his assist with a perfect pass for Anthony Martial to clinch a priceless win. 

 

Reaction: “The goals were great,” smiled Solskjaer. “We could have had more than a couple. We know he can do that at any moment.”

 

28 OCTOBER 2020 | CHAMPIONS LEAGUE GROUP STAGE OLD TRAFFORD

 

Background: After a starring role in United’s group stage opening win at PSG, Marcus was utilised from the bench in the Reds’ matchday-two encounter with Leipzig. 

 

Contribution: Introduced after 63 minutes with the hosts leading 1-0, Rashford soon set about making history. In the 74th minute, he sprang the offside trap, raced through and slotted home before quickly following that with a sharp finish – a feat he repeated in injury-time, having also deferred a penalty to Anthony Martial.

 

Reaction: Having netted his first hat-trick – only United’s second-ever substitute treble (the other provided by manager Solskjaer) – and the quickest Champions League instance of such a feat in competition history, there was no small amount of understatement when, post-match, Marcus said: “I think the manager wanted me to up the tempo.”

24 JANUARY 2021 | FA CUP FOURTH ROUND | OLD TRAFFORD 

 

Background: A week after a goalless Premier League encounter at Anfield, English football’s mightiest rivals did battle at Old Trafford in the FA Cup. Covid meant no fans, but that didn’t diminish the stakes.

 

Contribution: The Reds fell behind to Mohamed Salah’s early effort, but Marcus was central to a subsequent power shift, first releasing Mason Greenwood to level with a stupendous cross-field through ball, then besting goalkeeper Alisson in a one-on-one shortly after half-time. Though it took Bruno Fernandes’s late free-kick to secure passage to round five of the Cup, it was Marcus who inspired the turnaround. 

 

Reaction: ‘That [Fernandes’s] goal should not be allowed to overshadow Rashford’s contribution to United’s victory,’ wrote BBC journalist Simon Stone. ‘He is developing into an outstanding forward, with vision to match his speed and finishing ability.’

 

4 SEPTEMBER 2022 | PREMIER LEAGUE | OLD TRAFFORD 

 

Background: Having battled through a trying 2021/22 campaign, Marcus took the opportunity of a fresh start under new manager Erik ten Hag in 2022/23. He went on to enjoy the best season of his career, with all the warning signs laid bare in the Gunners’ late-summer visit in the league.

 

Contribution: Deployed centrally for an hour, Rashford fared impressively and teed up debutant Antony to break the deadlock. After Cristiano Ronaldo’s introduction, he moved to the left flank and bagged two killer second-half goals to swing a huge match United’s way.

 

Reaction: “Marcus played an impressive game,” admitted Ten Hag afterwards. “He transferred what we expect from him in the way of play, as a striker to be a target, drop in, to play over, linking, running behind, arriving in the box and scoring goals. I’m really happy with his performance; it shows his development.”

16 FEBRUARY 2023 | EUROPA LEAGUE | NOU CAMP

 

Background: After returning from the mid-winter World Cup, Rashford was in the form of his life. Heading to Catalonia with three months of the campaign still remaining, United’s no.10 was just one goal shy of equalling his career-best tally.

 

Contribution: A compelling first period ended goalless, after which Marcus took centre stage. “It didn’t look possible, but anything’s possible at the moment for Rashford,” exclaimed BT Sport’s Ian Darke, as the forward’s brutal near-post finish quickly negated Marcos Alonso’s opener. Moments later, the forward’s foray into a terrified Barcelona backline resulted in Jules Kounde’s own goal, and the French defender should also have faced punishment for subsequently halting Rashford’s surge into the box. Though the hosts levelled, United’s no.10 had been the undeniable star turn on a glittering night of European football. 

 

Reaction: Looking back on the tie later in 2023, Barcelona boss Xavi lamented simply: “Rashford cost us a lot.”