Manchester United get Marcus Rashford boost at the perfect time
Manchester United get Marcus Rashford boost at the perfect time
The end-of-year international breaks tend to be a bigger buzz-kill than the guy whipping out an acoustic guitar at a house party.
The new Premier League season has just got going and is starting to take shape but all the momentum and excitement is brought to an abrupt halt. Two weeks between games and you begin to wonder what to do with yourself.
But this time around, it's actually come as a welcome relief for Manchester United. Though they did manage to pick up a win against Brentford before the pause in action, it was only a late turnaround that stopped another dreadful defeat and the majority of the performance was no different to the abject ones that came before it. Erik ten Hag's side had no momentum to lose and the break has instead offered a chance to stop the downward spiral and hopefully come up with a way to reverse it.
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Additionally, United's extensive casualty list may have shrunk at least a little bit by the time they're next in action and the break has also given the opportunity for the club's underperforming stars to rediscover their form away from the stifling, stressful environment of Old Trafford. An opportunity Marcus Rashford has grasped with both hands.
The forward has seen his club form nosedive this season, at a time when he should be more confident than ever after registering a career-high tally of 30 goals last season alongside a further 11 assists. Instead, he has been struggling to find the back of the net, with just one goal to his name so far, and his decision-making in dangerous positions has often been baffling, leading to many wasted chances.
There have still been sparks of how dangerous he can be when running at back-tracking defenders but his moments of brilliance have become few and far between. The decline of United's best forward has been reflected throughout the side.
United were already short on goals last season when Rashford was at his best and it's now reached critical levels. Rasmus Hojlund has been impressive but he hasn't delivered the consistent strikes - as expected - that United needs. United are the only side in the top half of the table with a negative goal difference and have only managed to score more than Crystal Palace. In fact, they have only scored more than seven teams in the entire league.
That's a pitiful return and progress won't be made on last season's positive campaign without a dramatic uplift as soon as possible. Which means Rashford needs to find his scoring boots again.
It appears he might have done just that at the perfect time. Rashford was given a starting berth on the left flank in England's crucial Euro 20234 qualifier against Italy. He started the first half like he's played all season, downtrodden and uninspired. But sometimes all it takes is an opening, a moment.
That moment presented itself when Phil Foden smuggled the ball through to the sensational Jude Bellingham who then gave it to Rashford, some 40 yards from goal. Then there must have been a blip in the space-time continuum as the Rashford of last season suddenly materialised. He moved with speed and grace, closing the gap on goal in seconds, ghosting by defenders before shotgun-blasting the ball into the bottom corner.
Bellingham's pass to Rashford actually wasn't the best, you can hear the volume of the crowd lower as they think the chance to score off the counter has passed. But three seconds later the excitement returns before an explosion of celebration.
It was an excellent goal. One that reminded everyone just what Rashford is capable of and what he hasn't been doing for United. But after the finish, you could almost see the new life being breathed in as if his confidence was returning like the stolen talent to the basketball stars in Space Jam.
Rashford went on to have a great performance and looked completely rejuvenated. If he can carry that back to Manchester then United might just be getting their most dangerous forward back to his optimum at the perfect time. Fingers crossed.
