Former Manchester United star Lee Sharpe believes Marcus Rashford’s current struggles in a red shirt are due to issues “between his ears” with the 27-year-old forward the only person capable of improving his situation.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with The Peoples Person, courtesy of Racing Tipster, Sharpe revealed Rashford “can’t seem to get out of first or second gear” this season, with the Englishman scoring just one Premier League goal before this weekend’s fixtures.
Rashford, deployed as a number nine by Ruben Amorim in the Portuguese coach’s first game at the helm for the Red Devils, added his second of the campaign just two minutes into the match against Ipswich Town yesterday, which felt like a potentially transformational moment for the 27-year-old.
But both Rashford and his team failed to capitalise on the early advantage, allowing Ipswich back into the game, with the Tractor Boys drawing level before the half-time interval. And, based on the Man of the Match performance by Andre Onana, it was United who should have been more content with the 1-1 draw by the full-time whistle.
Sharpe described the performance at Portman Road as a “carry on” from the “negative” displays earlier in the season under previous manager Erik ten Hag, though the 53-year-old contends there were some “positives”.
Rashford was quiet following his opening goal, outside of some nice moments of link up play and positive runs which were not found by his team mates. And while his work rate was improved at times, the lackadaisical approach which has characterised a dismal last eighteen months for the forward was also repeatedly on display.
There’s a sense that Rashford does not impose himself on football matches in the way that his physical and technical talents should allow him to, regardless of what system he finds himself in or which manager is selecting him.
Sharpe contends “it’s up to Marcus Rashford” to recapture the forward’s scintillating from during the 2022/23 campaign (30 goals and 9 assists) under new head coach Amorim, who places absolute importance on intensity and work rate from his players.
Sharpe even believes the success of that impressive season has “damaged” Rashford mentally as it’s created a standard he has, thus far, been unable to reproduce.
“Marcus Rashford still has the whole world in his hands, and can’t seem to get out of first or second gear at the moment. I think the standard he set a couple of seasons ago, scoring 30 odd goals and setting the world alight, has damaged him a little bit. He can’t get his head around how to get back to it.”
The former United winger contends Amorim will be a “good coach” for Rashford, but also states neither Ten Hag nor Jose Mourinho were bad fits for the 27-year-old either. Rather, the academy graduate must focus inwards if he is to find the higher gears he’s demonstrated earlier in his career, as opposed to relying on a new manager or system.
“I think every issue that Rashford has got will be between his ears, and only Marcus Rashford can sort that out,” Sharpe concludes. “He needs to go at people…and try and switch his brain off, let himself free wheel and let his abilities shine through hard work.”
Given the importance Rashford’s new boss places on ‘hard work’, the 27-year-old will need to demonstrate this attribute in abundance if he’s to maintain his position in Amorim’s starting eleven moving forward. Then, and only then, Sharpe suggests, will the goal scoring return.
Feature image Michael Regan via Getty Images
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Darragh Fox
Darragh is a writer for The Peoples Person who spent three years as a history graduate slowly realising football was by far the most interesting thing to write about.
