To paraphrase and utilize a widely circulated line on social media, find yourself someone who looks at you the way Erik ten Hag looks at Marcus Rashford. The Manchester United manager basically said that the only forward in the game, right now, better than Rashford is France/Paris Saint-Germain superstar Kylian Mbappe.
It’s got to feel great, for the United and England center forward, to have a manager who believes in him this much.
“From the first moment, I recognised huge potential,” Ten Hag said to United’s in house media.
“And now to get out the potential, I believe when Marcus’ positioning is on the back of the defending line, there is almost no better player in the world.
“There is Mbappe in this moment, a type like him, but when he [Rashford] is getting in that position, he’s great and you see he’s really improved also out of possession.”
Rashford put himself on the map during the 2015-16 season, while current Netherlands manager Louis van Gaal was the guy in charge at United. In 322 total appearances for the club since then, he’s scored 101 goals and contributed 60 assists.
He’s also enjoying a much better season this term, having already equaled his goals scored total from all of last year, and we’re only 1/3 of the way through! Rashford also scored three goals for England at this World Cup, with Three Lions advancing to the quarterfinals before getting knocked out by France on Saturday.
Yes, Kylian Mbappe’s France. So what do the numbers look like for the 23-year-old that many football experts believe could be the face of the game once Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo retire?
Well, he’s on a torrid scoring pace at the World Cup. And since he moved over to PSG in 2017-18, he’s scored 131 and registered 46 assists. All in just 139 starts.
The next meaningful match for United will be December 27 against Nottingham Forest in the league. Although that is debatable, as a League Cup clash against Burnley looms on December 21.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He’s written for numerous publications, including Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. He regularly appears on NTD News and WGN News Now. Follow the website on Twitter and Instagram.