100% tackles, 5 shots: United loanee comes out on top against ex-Old Trafford teammate in eight-goal thriller

Marcus Rashford came out on top against his former Manchester United teammate Antony, as Barcelona beat Real Betis 5-3 on Saturday. Barcelona triumph over Betis Betis took the lead inside six minutes courtesy of Antony, who fired into the back of the net after being played onside by Jules Kounde. Barcelona didn’t stay behind for too long, restoring parity just five minutes later. Ferran Torres finished off a superb team move to tap in at close range to level proceedings. Torres put his side in the driving seat just two minutes later with a stunning volleyed finish inside the danger area. Roony Bardghji scored his first La Liga goal to give the Blaugrana a two-goal cushion in Seville. Torres clinched his hat-trick just before the break with another top-class finish from outside the box, making it 4-1. The visitors were awarded a controversial penalty after the restart as Marc Bartra was judged to have handled the ball. Teen sensation Lamine Yamal stepped up to take the spot-kick and made no mistake to put the game to bed. Two very late strikes from Diego Llorente and Cucho Hernandez only served as a consolation prize for Betis. Rashford was named in the starting XI, primarily playing in his favoured left side of the attack. Rashford’s performance The United loanee successfully delivered 17 of the 21 passes he attempted (71% individual pass accuracy). He connected with just one of the three long balls he pinged. Rashford fired five shots and missed one big chance that would have seen him get on the score sheet. He touched the ball 43 times and completed just one of the five dribbles he embarked on. The England international contributed defensively, winning the one tackle he put in and the single aerial duel he contested. He came out in three of the eight ground duels he delved in. StatisticValue Total shots5 Shots on target1 Shots blocked2 Big chances missed1 Crosses (accurate)3 (1) Accurate passes17/24 (71%) Long balls (accurate)1/3 (33%) Touches43 Dribbles (successful)5 (1) Tackles (won)1 (1) Recoveries1 Ground duels (won)8 (3) Aerial duels (won)1 (1) Dribbled past0 Antony on the other hand, fired four shots – three were on target, including his strike, while the other one was blocked. The Brazilian also won all the duels he vied for, both on the ground and in the air. StatisticValue Goals1 Total shots4 Shots on target3 Shots blocked1 Key passes1 Touches38 Dribbles (successful)0 (0) Tackles (won)1 (0) Recoveries4 Ground duels (won)4 (4) Aerial duels (won)1 (1) Dribbled past0 (Stats obtained from Sofascore) Unfortunately for Antony, his contributions just couldn’t save Betis as Rashford’s Barcelona proved to be too formidable for them. Featured image Fran Santiago via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Derick Kinoti Derick Kinoti is a football writer at The Peoples Person who has covered Manchester United and the Premier League extensively for years. His work blends sharp analysis, tactical insight, and engaging storytelling that resonates with fans around the world. Derick has gained valuable experience in football journalism, developing strong expertise in SEO writing, digital content creation, and social media engagement. A tech enthusiast with a Computer Science degree from the University of Nairobi, he ultimately swapped code for football commentary, bringing an analytical, detail-oriented approach to his writing. Derick is convinced Wayne Rooney is the true GOAT and won’t hear otherwise!