Marcus Rashford has been on massive form this season as he opened the scoring for United against Leeds on Sunday, 12th February.
The rematch between the ancient rivals, which took place at a packed Elland Road, was expected to result in another hard-fought tie after they drew 2-2 on Wednesday night this week at Old Trafford.
This time around, Manchester United left no stone unturned as they defeated Leeds United 2-0 in the last ten minutes of the game thanks to an 85th minute goal from substitute Alejandro Garnacho, who now has 25 goals for the Red Devils.
The Argentine scored after Rashford had given the visitors the lead with a header in the 80th minute.
Since the World Cup, the 25-year-old has scored 13 goals in 15 games, and according to Ten Hag, this success will continue as long as complacency does not set in.
Up until Marcus Rashford’s thunderous late header, this contest had practically everything you would expect from a fierce, confrontational match between two bitter, old rivals who were at opposite ends of the table and in urgent need of points.
But Rashford offers that in spades a constant threat in open play and prolific in front of goal.
There is no greater accolade Rashford can receive at the age of 25 than this: he has been extraordinary since the 2022 FIFA World Cup ended in December.
Leeds were rough and violent – As they battled over everything, they kicked, barged, and scratched.
Every stray ball turned into a fight, the ball sometimes had the sensation of an appendage, especially in the first half.
The game got caught in a vicious loop of misconduct.
Without Rashford, Manchester United likely would have fallen short against Leeds United at Old Trafford the previous week and here at Elland Road.
United would not be where they are this season without their English striker, perhaps even more so than Casemiro. Simply put, they cannot afford to lose him for any length of time currently.
What Ten Hag Thinks About Marcus Rashford
If Marcus Rashford wants to continue to be one of Europe’s most effective attackers, he must avoid “laziness,” according to Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag.
The England striker is now one goal short of matching his highest season total from the previous manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s 2019–20 campaign.
According to Erik ten Hag: “I don’t know when it will stop but if you are satisfied with it, then it will.”
“And because satisfaction goes to laziness, you have to keep investing every day. When he keeps the investment and keeps the focus in every game and brings the energy and belief in, he will keep scoring.”
“He has the skills to score with right, with left and with his head. It’s about him getting into position.”
Rashford had a poor 2021–22 season, scoring only twice in his final 28 appearances of an injury-plagued campaign and totaling just five goals across all competitions.
What Next For Manchester United
On February 16th, Manchester United will return to competitive action when they travel to Barcelona for the first leg of their Europa League playoff (kick-off 5.45pm).
On Sunday, February 19, Erik ten Hag’s team plays host to Leicester in the Premier League.
