Manchester United forward on the Right Track, insists Erik ten Hag
Marcus Rashford is showing signs of returning to his best form after taking control of his career, according to Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag. Following a career-best 30-goal season under Ten Hag, Rashford's form dipped last term, with just eight goals to his name and a notable exclusion from Gareth Southgate's European Championship squad. The problems aggravated with some off-field issues as well.
His difficulties included being dropped from an FA Cup match for disciplinary reasons, following a trip to Belfast without permission. However, Ten Hag believes Rashford has started to take control of his career, putting himself back on track with more discipline and professionalism.
"He always knew, like every player, that when your lifestyle is not right, you can't perform," said Ten Hag. "He is on the way back because he's taking control of his own performance and setting things right in his life."
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Rashford's recent performances suggest progress, with two goals in the midweek EFL Cup win over Barnsley, taking his tally to three for the season. In contrast, it took him until December to reach that mark last season. Rashford has been a bright spark ever since he got his first Premier League goal in March. His confidence was clearly visible going forward and looked threatening.
Though left out of England’s recent Nations League squad, Ten Hag remains confident Rashford will soon be back in the international setup, saying, "He will always be an option for every manager."
Ten Hag also highlighted Rashford's resilience, acknowledging that no football career is without its challenges. While the return of Ruud van Nistelrooy to the coaching staff has helped, Rashford’s improvement is largely due to his own efforts. The forward has teamed up with United legend Van Nistelrooy and the Dutch coach is clearly making a difference with the United forward line as a whole. Rashford looks set to benefit from his experience and has already a fair share of media criticism but the best place to shut any critic is the football field and Rashford looks set to answer that with a rejuvenated spirit this season.