Dutch coach Erik ten Hag has refused to take the credit for helping Marcus Rashford reach his full potential this season.
This season, the English star has been United’s saviour, scoring 18 goals and dishing out four assists in all competitions. Prior to the FA Cup match against Reading, Ten Hag was questioned about Rashford’s inspiring resurgence. But the gaffer gently downplayed his contributions to the English forward’s recent success.
While speaking to the club’s official website, he said:
“I’m not Harry Potter. Confidence [is important] and every player has to make and get his confidence. He fights for this, and he invests in this. With me and my coaching staff, we bring structures and especially with the way of play.”
“That gives him some routines [with] what he needed to get into the right position, but finally, it was up to him. If the player has confidence and he is confident in the way we are working – the environment and the culture are also important – then the player can perform at his best.”
“Marcus is obviously performing at his best at this moment and he is in really good shape, from day to day, game to game, training to train. More and more routines are coming in.”
Rashford is playing with a lot of confidence as a result of the support he has received from the coaching staff. Since the end of the 2022 World Cup, no player in Europe’s top five leagues has scored more goals than the 25-year-old.
The England international is leaving the defenders in his wake with deft movements and lightning-quick speed. In comparison to what he is now, he was a shell of the player he is now last season. He has already found the net 13 more times than he did in the whole of the 2021–22 campaign. Rashford will be looking to add more goals to his tally as United play host to Reading in the fourth round of the FA Cup.
Ten Hag might consider changing up his lineup to give a couple players the weekend off. With Alejandro Garnacho ready to go again, Rashford might not get a start. But the 25-year-old can have an influence from the bench if Ten Hag decides to bring him in and let him change the course of the game.
