MARCUS RASHFORD is finally proving himself to be a leader after all.
Just not of the Manchester United forward line.
Marcus Rashford celebrates his late clincher as Man Utd win 2-0 at BurnleyCredit: Getty – Contributor
Anthony Martial slips the opener as Man Utd went fifth with victory at BurnleyCredit: AFP or licensors
Anthony Martial now has that job and is making a real fist of it after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer accepted he is more suited to that role.
Something the Frenchman proved with the cool, calculated finish that sent Manchester United on the road to victory on Saturday.
Rashford, meanwhile, is far more comfortable in his more natural position coming in from the left.
And even if he did scuff home the clincher five minutes into time added on, it was still his 16th goal of the season for United.
That tally is his best yet, three better than his last two campaign counts and the highest of his Old Trafford career so far.
What Rashford has also become, however, is a growing influence off the pitch as well as on it.
He may not wear the captain’s arm band but that does not mean he is not expressing a growing maturity.
Rashford, more and more under the guidance of Solskjaer, is looking comfortable in his own skin.
ADMIRATION, NOT JEALOUSY
He is no longer the shy kid who burst on the scene four years ago. Now he is talking as well as playing like a grown–up determined to set the right example — as Solskjaer’s United slowly but surely take on the look of a side starting to go places.
England forward Rashford, 22, said: “We probably could have been more clinical on the break — but we have to fight through games like this and this win will do a lot for us.
“Credit to the lads and to the staff, two games in three days. It’s tough — even if you have the right mind set for the game, physically your body can let you down.
“But everybody kept running until the 95th minute.
“To get the three points after doing all that hard work is nice.”
Rashford wanted to be the central striker himself — but there was only admiration and not jealousy for Martial who now has ten goals this season.
Marcus Rashford bundles home in the 95th minute with his 16th goal of the seasonCredit: PA:Empics Sport
And Rashford stressed: “He’s brilliant one versus one with the keeper and I think we all know that.
“So it’s down to us to keep giving him those opportunities — and as a No 9 he fires off those opportunities.
“We know that when he’s in front of goal like that he’s calm and confident — it’s only going to go one way.
“So we just need to keep feeding him and keep the confidence going.” There was also admiration for the guts of winger Daniel James, who now knows that Turf Moor is truly a school of tough knocks.
Rashford explained: “We speak about character — that’s character for me.
“He’s getting knocked down every time he gets the ball for 95 minutes.
‘MUST KEEP MOMENTUM’
“But he’s still getting up and running with it and making passes.
“He’s been a threat every time he’s been on the pitch.
“It takes a lot of character to do what he does on a regular basis — and he’s been class.”
Rashford is grown up enough now to laugh at himself — such as that second United goal, one that resulted from a double hit as he fell after rounding goalkeeper Nick Pope.
The academy graduate said: “I still don’t know how it went in but we’ll take it! I just have to keep trying to get into the right positions — and as long as I do that I’ll get goals.”
Finally there is the acceptance from him that — like at cold and windy Turf Moor — football is not quite always the beautiful game.
Rash added: “We’ve struggled to get back-to-back wins in the league but we’ve done that here. Now it’s about keeping the momentum, keep going forward, get used to winning.
“We’re not going to win pretty in every game — that’s just impossible in this league.
“So we are going to have to grind out some results and that’s what we did.”
Solskjaer had looked to Paul Pogba for such wisdom, understanding and, above all, leadership.
He was back home on the sofa on Saturday night, excused duty after two sub appearances on his return from ankle injury after three months out.
But he did post on Instagram his appreciation of the Martial goal, hailing the cross from Andrea Pereira to set it up as “tiki-taka legend to Martial!”
All good fun. Except Pogba was not there and has not been for most of the season as Solskjaer has worked to make United a force again.
But Rashford was, proving there are different ways to be a leader, showing he is going into the new decade with 2020 vision about a bright new future.
Ex-Man United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, appears incredulous at former-prodigy Solskjaer’s decision to sub Anthony Martial for Luke Shaw during 2-0 victory away at Norwich
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
