Manchester United

Manchester United

Premier League • England

Refreshed Marcus Rashford outlines Erik ten Hag’s message to Manchester United attackers

Marcus Rashford Man Utd July 2022

Marcus Rashford has given an insight into Erik ten Hag’s attacking ethos and said he is ready for Manchester United’s season to start after enjoying a “priceless” pre-season.

Rashford is determined to put last season behind him and get his career back on track. The forward has also been dropped from the England squad after a season which produced just 13 Premier League starts and four goals.

After the heartbreak of losing to Italy on penalties in the European Championship final, Rashford then underwent shoulder surgery. It meant his pre-season was non-existent and he did not play for United until October.

But Rashford has managed to get a full pre-season under his belt this time around.

“I feel fit, I feel strong and we’ve come out of the trip without any injuries,” Rashford told the PA news agency.

“For us, it’s definitely a positive thing to have a fully-fit squad ready to start the season.

“For me personally, it’s priceless to have the pre-season that I’ve had.

Rashford refreshed

“Sometimes I don’t really take as much note of it because usually we’re playing games in the summer and stuff like that, so the next season sort of just rolls onto the previous season.

“But this year I’ve had time to break, rest, recover mentally and physically, and then I’ve had a proper pre-season.

“I feel really happy. I’m pleased that I managed to do that.”

Rashford is hoping for a better season this time around and says Manchester United will use last season’s hurt to propel them in 2022/23.

“I think it’s normal when we’re not performing as we should perform (that) you get criticised,” Rashford said. “It’s part and parcel of the game.

“I’ve always said that I’m my own harshest critic. And I know when I’m not playing my best football and I know when I need to improve.

“Definitely last season was a time for me to reflect on.

“I’ve had the time off in the summer and a long pre-season. So I feel a lot more ready this season.

“I think it’s obviously difficult when you lose. We don’t like to lose and I think that’s just same for everyone as an individual.

“When you are losing games and you’re not picking points, it’s difficult to enjoy yourself on the pitch.

‘It’s fun to play in’

“Hopefully we can start the season off a lot better than that. But we have to use last season as fuel to improve and to prove that we’re better players than what we showed last year.”

Asked about Ten Hag’s message to the United attacking players.

“He just wants us to be positive,” said Rashford.

“He wants us to do everything in a positive manner, so for us it means a lot of forward runs, a lot of interchanging positions, trying to link with each other on the ball.

“It’s fun to play in, we’re enjoying it, so hopefully we can kick on and perform these type of performances come the season.”

Speaking about the 2-2 draw with Aston Villa the Optus Stadium in Perth, Rashford added: “The pitch weren’t the best but we tried to do our best,” Rashford said of the hodgepodge surface with a smile.

“It was a fun game. The first half we probably played better than in the second half but it was enjoyable.

Rashford like a new signing

“The pre-season as a whole was definitely a successful one and we can use these experiences.

“Even games like today, we conceded a goal on a counter-attack. We have to work on that.

“It’s something that generally we’ve been quite good on throughout pre-season but it just shows we can’t switch off.”

Rashford has looked sharp in pre-season under Ten Hag. And already he has showed a good understanding with the likes of Anthony Martial, Jadon Sancho and Bruno Fernandes.

If he can hit the ground running, as he has threatened on the Asia and Australia tour, then Ten Hag may well be able to get the full potential from the 24-year-old.

Rashford could be almost like a new signing. And with a gap up front left by Cristiano Ronaldo’s situation, he could enjoy a renaissance under Dutch boss Ten Hag.

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