Erik ten Hag has praised striker Marcus Rashford after the Manchester United star struck his 21st goal of the season against Leeds.
With Anthony Martial out injured and loanee Wout Weghorst struggling for goals, Rashford’s meteoric form has been most welcome.
Rashford opened the scoring in the 2-0 win against Leeds, with Alejandro Garnacho doubling the lead minutes later.
The England international has the faith of his manager, unlike Gareth Southgate who left him on the bench for 86 minutes of the Three Lions’ World Cup quarter-final defeat.
READ: Confirmed Manchester United transfers in, out, loan deals for January 2023
Ten Hag’s relationship with Rashford is a key part of the forward’s resurgence. Last year he scored only five goals.
The Dutch manager said that after the game he had a very simple message for Rashford about his header, before elaborating into the advice he has had for Rashford throughout the season.
Ten Hag told the club website: “I was saying to him ‘what a strike’. It is what he is aiming for every game.
“I told him at the start of the season, in every game, you will come into a position to score a goal and you have the capabilities to score.
“So it’s keeping that focus over 90 or 95 minutes. If you do that, you see that he can score with his left, right and his head. He is a great striker, in my perspective.
“When he makes his good movements, with this team, he will always get some scoring positions and then it is about finishing.
“He has the capabilities, the physical and technical skills to finish but also the capabilities physical to run there, to move there with the speed.
“He has athleticism, also to jump, and then it is about mentality keep the focus and the belief that he will score.”
Rashford’s heading ability has been one of the ways he has developed this season and improved his game.
He now has 114 first team goals for United, closing in on Andy Cole’s total of 121, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on 126. At this rate it won’t be too long until he surpasses Cristiano Ronaldo’s 145.
Rashford is now on course to exceed 30 goals this season for the first time. Surpassing his career best of 22 looks like a formality at this point.
Individual figures will mean little to Rashford if the team do not win a trophy. One is up for grabs at the end of this month when Manchester United face Newcastle in the Carabao Cup final, and hopefully Rashford can step up once again.
Have something to tell us about this article?
Let us know
