Man Utd 3 Leicester 0: Marcus Rashford’s incredible season continues with double as Prem title hopes are boosted
WHOEVER gets to own this football club in the end, the first cheque they have to sign is for Marcus Rashford.
One big enough with a new contract to keep him here for the rest of his career.
In the space of four days in the Nou Camp and at Old Trafford, he backed up both Erik ten Hag and Barcelona boss Xavi’s assertion that right now Rashford is one of the best frontmen in Europe.
His current deal finishes at the end of next season after the option of an extra year was triggered.
Negotiations on a new deal are said to be ‘ongoing’ every time the question is asked, but there will be nervousness amongst the fan base until pen is put to paper.
His figures since the World Cup continue to be staggering but worth repeating every time he finds the net.
Against Leicester his pair of goals make it 16 times in 17 games since returning from the World Cup.
He has already surpassed his best ever season’s total of 22 with 24, and counting, after he put United ahead in the 25th minute and added a second on 56.
A task that seemed to torture him last season now comes with consummate ease, such is the success of the work Ten Hag has done with the England international to restore his confidence.
A year ago he might have handed his chance for the first to Alejandro Garnacho who was screaming for it square in the box.
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He looked up and thought about it for a split second and then thought ‘no, I’ll finish this’.
He had been put through by Bruno Fernandes – who had a superb game in this his 150th start for the club.
Fernandes’ delivery with the outside of his right boot looked like it had caught 25-year-old Rashford offside, so far ahead of the Leicester back four was he when picking the ball up.
The anticipation and understanding between the teammates, however, had been that good the flag stayed down and VAR was not overruling it.
On an angle on the right of the box Rashford had to be precise with the finish as Danny Ward tried to narrow his angles.
There was nothing he could do as Rashford hammered a shot past him into the far bottom corner.
These moments just keep on coming for the local lad who is living a dream.
With that he became the first United player to score in seven consecutive home Premier League games since Wayne Rooney in 2010.
It was the breakthrough for United after what had been a very positive start from visitors Leicester.
The return of captain James Maddison has brought a four match unbeaten run including in the FA Cup away to Walsall.
Their previous two games saw them score four in each in game away to Aston Villa and at home to Tottenham – Maddison on target both times.
They had the chances to be ahead here before Rashford’s goal, but David De Gea, who is also in contract negotiations, was at his best.
When Harvey Barnes swapped passes with Kelechi Iheanacho after just eight minutes he was clean through on goal but De Gea’s outstretched right hand denied him.
Then when an unmarked Iheanacho executed a fine downward header at the far post, the Spaniard clawed the ball back from behind himself to gasps from The Stretford End.
The result meant De Gea drew level with Peter Schmeichel on a club record 180 clean sheets.
This team can dig deep and weather these storms now, they have spirit and fight.
Rashford had started the game upfront with Wout Weghorst in the number ten role behind him as he had been in the last 29 minutes at Leeds and from the start in Barcelona.
When Jadon Sancho was brought on at the break he went into the number ten role, Rashford went wide left and Weghorst upfront.
It doesn’t really matter where Rashford plays, he skates around the park with a freedom, impossible to anticipate or pick up.
Fred this time provided the assist for his second and Rashford raced away into the box before firing the shot between the goalkeeper’s legs.
He hits it with such power that even when the ball is close to the goalkeeper he can’t always react.
This time the flag did go up but once again the run had been timed to perfection and VAR overruled the assistant referee and gave it.
Rashford can create as well as score as he helped set up the third on 61 minutes – finding Sancho who exchanged passes with the fabulous Fernandes and side-footed a left-foot shot home on the run.
It was his second goal in four appearances, his fitness and confidence restored under Ten Hag’s careful management.
Sancho could have had another, United could have had more.
They are some team to watch right now.
Someone should buy them.