If we have to talk about players with the best form after the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, then England and Manchester United’s 25-year-old forward Marcus Rashford must be the man who tops everyone’s list. After his brace against Leicester City in the English Premier League yesterday, the player has now scored 16 goals since the Middle-Eastern quadrennial tournament and already achieved his best scoring record for the club with 24 goals. Last night’s brace against the Foxes at home also meant Rashford has scored in the last seven games at Old Trafford for Manchester United, and is the first player to do so since Wayne Rooney did it in 2010.
21 Goal Contributions in 18 Matches
The Manchester-born player and former United academy graduate had played in all 18 matches for the Red Devils since the FIFA World Cup, netting 16 times and helping the team to win all but five games during the process. Apart from such a terrific goalscoring record, the forward also provided five assists to his teammates, meaning that his total goal contributions now stand at 32 over 36 games played, an equivalent of 0.89 goal per game.
It is worth mentioning that Marcus Rashford’s best season based on statistics was the 2019/2020 Season, in which he has scored 22 goals in 44 matches in all competitions. He provided a similar scoring total in the following year, before suffering a steep dip in 2021/2022. Hence, to be able to bounce back and eclipse his own scoring record, most notably after the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo and the disappointing exit of England in the Qatar World Cup, Rashford is definitely Manchester United’s best player thus far this year. Besides, with 14 league games and other cup ties left to be played, a healthy Rashford is likely to increase his tally to further heights at the end of this season.
First Trophy in Six Years?
Rashford and Manchester United last won a major trophy six years ago, after the Jose Mourinho-led Red Devils beat the Erik ten Hag’s Ajax in the 2016/2017 Season. The team, now managed and transformed by the Dutchman himself, will be given a chance to finally win a silverware this weekend, when they take on Newcastle United at the Wembley Stadium. Considering the form United and its no. 10 are in at the moment, the Red Devils will head to Wembley as clear favourites against the Premier League’s fifth-placed Magpies.
But before Manchester United can turn its attention to domestic cup duties, it will first welcome Spanish La Liga giant Barcelona at home this Thursday for the second leg of the UEFA Europa League Play-Off fixture. The previous match-up saw both teams settled for a 2-2 draw at Nou Camp, in which the Red Devils came back from a one-goal deficit to lead the game, before Raphinha equalised for the home side.
Rashford: “I Don’t Feel Like Slowing Down.”
The man of the hour, Rashford, acknowledged his impressive run of form after the 2022 FIFA World Cup and vowed to continue his goalscoring streak for United’s remaining games this season. He said: “It’s still early in the season, we’re fighting for a lot of different things. We have another big game in the week to hopefully go through to the next round of the Europa League and then a massive game for us [against Newcastle]. I don’t feel like slowing down and always want to improve.” What do you think will be Rashford’s final tally at the end of this season? Tell us in the comment section.
In case you have missed it, Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Karim Benzema will be battling out for the FIFA Best Men’s Player Award, where the result will be revealed this weekend.
