Marcus Rashford is completely unstoppable at the moment. Rashford scored his 20th goal of the season in all competitions during Wednesday night’s 2-2 draw with Leeds United.
With this, he replicated a feat accomplished by former Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney ten years earlier when he scored in six straight Premier League home games.
Three minutes into the second half, the Reds found themselves 2-0 down. Rashford connected with Diogo Dalot’s cross to head home and spark the Reds’ comeback.
His header not only marked his 20th goal of the season and sixth goal in as many Premier League games at Old Trafford, but it also marked his second goal in just five days, following his 62nd-minute goal against Crystal Palace on Saturday.
6 – Marcus Rashford is the first Manchester United player to score in six consecutive appearances at Old Trafford in the Premier League since Wayne Rooney in April 2012. Guarantee. pic.twitter.com/VRcX7a1CsW
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 8, 2023
Alejandro Garnacho started the game in place of the injured Antony, which caused Rashford to start on the right flank. After Weghorst was taken off and replaced by Jadon Sancho, Rashford shifted to the left and subsequently into the middle.
Therefore, it may be challenging for manager Erik ten Hag to decide where to start Rashford in Sunday’s rematch against Leeds at Elland Road. His finest play has come when he has played on the left side of the front three this season, as it has for the majority of his career.
Although he has been effective this season, United has grown too dependent on him and is in serious need of a top-tier striker to lead the line and help alleviate some of the goal-scoring pressure.
It is unthinkable that Rashford could sustain an injury between now and the end of the current campaign.
But even though he struggled last season, the English attacker has now scored 20 goals or more in three of the last four seasons in all competitions. He notched 21 goals in 2020/21, 22 goals in 2019/20, and 20 goals so far this season.
He has now scored 68 goals since the start of the 2019–20 season, including the meagre five goals he scored the previous season. These are impressive numbers for someone who is not seen as a natural No. 9.
Rashford has become the first United player since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013 to score 20 goals or more in three different seasons.His 20 goals this season have been composed of a wide variety of finishes, including well-taken efforts at the end of counter-attacking runs, strikes from outside the penalty area, and firm headers.
Undoubtedly, United had been in decline since Ferguson’s retirement until this season’s turnaround under Ten Hag, making it difficult for any player to consistently break the 20-goal mark. The 25-year-old’s success in doing so shouldn’t be disregarded or ignored as a result.
After the way his season ended last year, few people would have given him a chance to score 20 goals this season. Since his return from the World Cup in Qatar, he has been in outstanding form, scoring 12 goals in just 14 games which has increased his overall goal tally.
His achievements since the December restart have brought him within three goals of having his finest season thus far. Even though nothing in football is guaranteed, it would be difficult to get good odds on him not scoring 23 goals by the season’s end.
Even though United would be in trouble without him, his statistics, especially this season at Old Trafford where he has scored 15 of his 20 goals, are tremendously stunning to watch.
Ten Hag has had a significant influence on Rashford, and he is now paying it forward by breaking down barriers and approaching a new personal record.
