Greenwood reveals crucial Rashford role in his Man Utd rise
Mason Greenwood has opened up on how he sees fellow Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford as a role model at the club.
Following the failure to replace Alexis Sanchez and Romelu Lukaku in the summer, United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was forced to bring Greenwood – then 17 years of age – into the fray.
The Englishman has done excellently, however, scoring 10 goals in 32 appearances in all competitions for the first team.
His development at Old Trafford has followed a similar path to that of Rashford, who scored twice on his debut against Danish side FC Midtjylland in the Europa League in 2016.
Speaking to SPORTbible, Greenwood opened up about how Rashford has been a big help in his rise to the first team.
“Yeah, definitely. [Rashford’s] been in the academy and come through the ranks and I feel like I’m following in his footsteps,” the striker said.
“He’s a few years older than me but I can definitely take a lot of inspiration from what he has achieved so far.
“I’ve known him for a long time so I’ve seen how well he has done and how he has progressed as a player, so there’s lots to learn from being around him.”
Greenwood made his first steps into United‘s senior fold during the club’s pre-season tour in the summer of 2018 and the youngster has revealed how the likes of Sanchez and Lukaku influenced him.
“It was a different level really,” he said. “The crowds there were all a lot bigger than what I was used to playing in front of, and there were a lot of fans from all around the world, so it was a good experience.
“To go away with strikers such as Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford, Alexis Sanchez and Romelu Lukaku was the best way to learn, just seeing how they worked as top strikers and top finishers was great for me.
“They all looked after me and helped me on and off the pitch.”
Greenwood will continue to be influential for United this season but the burden on his shoulders has been lifted somewhat due to the arrival of Odion Ighalo.
United’s hand was forced in January following Rashford’s back injury, with Ighalo brought in to provide vital goal-scoring experience to Solskjaer’s side.
In other United news, the Red Devils will reportedly avoid a move for Leicester City’s James Maddison, despite the 22-year-old being a long-term target.
A report claims that Maddison is set to sign a new contract at Leicester before the end of the winter break next week, meaning United’s interest has cooled.