Highlights
- Marcus Rashford has faced challenges and controversies this season, leading to speculation about his future at Manchester United.
- Rashford took a social media to announce he was taking a break after a tough season, and will focus on resting and recovering mentally.
- A strong performance in the FA Cup final, coupled with this tweet, illustrates Rashford is determined to get back to his best at Old Trafford.
It has been a testing season for Manchester United’s main man, Marcus Rashford. The Red Devil was coming off the back of his most productive campaign during the 2022/2023 season. Expectations were through the roof as he and the club as a whole were expected to build on the progress they had started to make under Erik Ten Hag.
What followed was anything but. An 8th place league finish was the worst the collective had ever managed in their Premier League history. As for the individual, eight goals in all competitions was an alarming change in fortunes. Couple this with controversies that included him missing training after a boozy night out, there were many speculating that the grass may be greener elsewhere for the 26-year-old. Links to Paris Saint-Germain persisted, and new co-owners INEOS made it clear that Rashford was not irreplaceable.
Having been dropped from the England squad for Euro 2024, the winger appears to be taking time away from the spotlight to recover mentally and physically. Perhaps this is a sign that Marcus Rashford is ready to battle his demons and fight for a future at his boyhood club.
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The forward issued a message to his supporters
Taking to social media, United’s number 10 told followers that he planned to take some time away from social media after what had been a difficult season for both the player and the club. He stated:
“It’s time to come off Socials for a few weeks. I plan to rest and reset mentally after a challenging season individually and collectively. Thanks to the fans that stood by me through a difficult period. To the ones that didn’t just remember at United, we always stick together.”
To say that it has been a challenging season for Rashford would be somewhat of an understatement. The forward was rewarded with a new contract in the summer of 2023, reportedly worth £300,000 p/w. This was a testament to just how important the Englishman had been the season prior, where he had managed 30 goals and 10 assists for the entire season, by far the best output of his career to date.
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Marcus Rashford Stat Comparison 22/23 vs 23/24 |
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|---|---|---|
|
Stat |
22/23 |
23/24 |
|
Games |
56 |
43 |
|
Goals |
30 |
8 |
|
Assists |
10 |
5 |
However, the drop in form led to a perceived drop in attitude. Rashford often faced backlash from fans for his work rate in comparison to youngsters like Alejandro Garnacho and Amad Diallo. At times, this criticism turned volatile, with the attacker labeling it as abuse earlier in the season. At that point, it appeared the damage had been done and that maybe Rashford was better off finding pastures new, just months after putting pen to paper on a bumper new deal.
His poor form got the better of him, with Ten Hag opting to leave him out of his team more frequently towards the back-end of the season. The abuse continued, as Rashford found himself confronting a fan during Manchester United’s final home game of the season against Newcastle. It appeared the clock was ticking. Yet, recent developments have indicated there may still be life at the Theatre of Dreams for the academy graduate yet.
Rashford Back to His Best in FA Cup Final
The England international showed fans exactly what United meant to him
Given that he had been absent from the starting line-up in recent weeks, it was a surprise to see Rashford named on the left-hand side for the FA Cup final. However, the decision to put him in from the start was justified. Last year’s Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year caused havoc against Kyle Walker on multiple occasions and played a pivotal part in United’s second goal, by far their best move of the game.
Although he wasn’t operating on the same levels he had done last season, this was a marked improvement from what Rashford had routinely produced over the last 12-months. Reasons why could be guessed upon for eternity. Perhaps he was sending a message to Gareth Southgate. He could’ve just been desperate to win his second FA Cup. Regardless of what spurred him on, it worked.
In the hours that followed this famous victory, Rashford took to social media to post a picture of him in tears at Wembley. Underneath was the caption: ‘people want to know what Man Utd means to me!’ A very direct message to those who had questioned his loyalty and passion for the club in testing times.
This, followed by his latest social media post, is perhaps the clearest indication that the player still sees his future in the North-West of England. Where he grew up. The FA Cup final cannot be just the end of a season for Rashford. It needs to be a springboard for him to get back to his best. This social media break might just be the next step in finding himself again off the pitch, which in turn will allow him to rediscover who he is on it.
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