With just one goal since the 2023/24 campaign began in August, there's a serious conversation to be had about Marcus Rashford's true ability as a top-class footballer.
The Englishman was in sublime form last season, when he registered a career-high of 30 goals across all competitions, a feat that marked the first time a United player had done so since Robin van Persie in 2013. Heading into this season, there were high expectations for the 26-year-old after he led the team to a place in the UEFA Champions League, with many club supporters hoping he would pick up where he left off last term, but it's been everything but a repeat of 2022/23 so far.
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With just one goal in 13 appearances so far in all competitions, Rashford's output has dramatically declined despite not missing a single game through injury, while the team has also lost in seven of the 13 matches he played in. Questions are now beginning to emerge about the forward's apparent lack of form, but to simply put his exploits this season down to form would be a massive disregard of several other important factors.
After the Red Devils' humiliating defeat to rivals Manchester City on Sunday, a slew of reports emerged suggesting that Rashford was seen out partying at nightclub just hours after the defeat at Old Trafford. Although this has caused a stir, his disciplinary record is not nefarious and, in fact, he has earned a lot of praise for the philanthropy work he does in the community. As such, the marksman is often exempt from the issues some of his past and present teammates such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Jadon Sancho have faced.
Rashford's first-team debut came on 25 February 2016, and he exploded on to the scene, netting a stunning brace to set his career off to a flying start. He would finish his debut campaign with eight goals and two assists in 18 appearances and helped United win the FA Cup title that year under Louis van Gaal. This created a crazy amount of hype around the then-teenager, who then went on to finish second for the 2016 Golden Boy award behind winner Renato Sanches and ahead of third-placed Kingsley Coman.
Now on to his ninth season at United, Rashford has only ever reached double figures four times in the Premier League goal charts. Apart from the fact that his natural position is hard to classify, the Three Lions star has never proved himself on a consistent basis as an out-and-out centre-forward, nor a prolific winger who scores regularly such as the likes of Mohamed Salah and Kylian Mbappe.
Some argued that his omission from the 2023 30-man Ballon d'Or award nominees list was unfair, but his displays so far in this campaign have seemingly warranted his exclusion. The ilk in which Rashford was viewed when he burst on to the scene was similar to that of Bukayo Saka and perhaps Phil Foden at the moment. However, the Arsenal and City players already appear to have a higher ceiling than the Red Devils academy graduate.
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Although age is still on his side, it is reasonably possible that Rashford is just not as good as many had imagined, and he is likely to have that odd season where his performances will improve. As such, there is no merit to say he is United's best player in general, even if his goals carried the team to what is now a rare top-four finish last term.
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