ERIK TEN HAG claims striker Marcus Rashford should be getting up to 35 goals every season.
But the Manchester United boss says the beleaguered star needs the support of the crowd, not criticism, to help him hit those targets.
The England ace has slumped dramatically from seasonbest figures of 30 goals in the last campaign to just eight in this one.
Red Devils fans have turned against the 26-year-old even booing him when he was subbed off in Sunday’s FA Cup semifinal win over Coventry.
At 12.36am yesterday, Rashford posted on X in response to a message of support that the abuse of him had gone too far.
He said: “I appreciate your support! It is abuse and has been for months. Enough is enough.”
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Now Ten Hag has jumped to the defence of the forward.
He said: “I’ve sympathy for Rashy. Last year, he had a brilliant season, the best in his career.
This season, he didn’t give the performances and people have been very critical.
“Everyone should back him to get back to the levels of last year. He needs the support.”
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And Ten Hag believes Rashford has the ability to hit last season’s heights every campaign.
The Dutchman, whose team host Burnley on Saturday, said: “I think he is capable every season of scoring 25 to 35 goals.
“He has the assets to do that. I am 100 per cent confident of this.”
Meanwhile, former United midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger urged the club to help the Manchester-born academy graduate.
Ex-team mate Wayne Rooney believes he should leave Old Trafford for a “fresh start” in order to rejuvenate his career as he “doesn’t look happy”.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
