Erik ten Hag has expressed confidence in Marcus Rashford ability to find the back of the net consistently, following his goal in Manchester United’s commanding 3-0 victory over Southampton. In his praise, Ten Hag even drew on a famous analogy used by Cristiano Ronaldo to describe the flood of goals that often follows when a striker breaks a scoring drought.
Marcus Rashford, who has faced significant pressure recently due to a dip in form and exclusion from the England squad, ended a 12-game goal drought with a powerful low strike to score United’s second goal against Southampton. The timing of the goal was crucial for the forward, whose performance against Liverpool before the international break had attracted widespread criticism.
Ten Hag, speaking about Marcus Rashford return to the scoresheet, referenced Ronaldo’s well-known comparison of goal-scoring to ketchup, saying, “Once a striker was talking about a ketchup bottle—once it’s going, it’s coming more.” Although Ten Hag chose not to name Ronaldo directly, it was a clear nod to the Portuguese star’s famous remark. The message was simple: once the goals start flowing, they tend to come in abundance.
The manager emphasized that while Marcus Rashford may have been subjected to external criticism, the coaching staff had seen plenty of positives in his recent performances. Ten Hag highlighted that Marcus Rashford had created two clear-cut chances in the game against Liverpool, which was a sign of his quality, even if the goals hadn’t been coming. Ten Hag believed that Marcus Rashford goal was a well-deserved reward for his efforts and that it would help him build confidence and momentum moving forward. For any striker, finding the back of the net is essential to maintaining belief, and Ten Hag is optimistic that this goal will be a catalyst for many more.
Marcus Rashford Breaks Drought: Ten Hag Confident of More Goals to Come
This commentary on Marcus Rashford comes just days after Ten Hag had publicly responded to Ronaldo’s earlier critique of his management style. Despite the tension between the two, Ten Hag’s indirect reference to Ronaldo shows his respect for the mentality of top goal-scorers.
Rashford has struggled to make a significant impact in the current 2024/25 season, with his form being a subject of frequent analysis over the past year. Despite this, Ten Hag continues to back his player, reiterating his faith that Rashford’s fortunes will improve. The 26-year-old forward was part of United’s starting lineup for the Southampton match, and Ten Hag emphasized that his contributions to the team extend beyond just goals. Rashford had delivered excellent crosses in previous games, and Ten Hag was confident that his moment of resurgence would arrive soon. According to the manager, once a striker like Rashford gets into his groove, he’ll “fly” and the goals will follow naturally.
Meanwhile, United’s summer signing, Manuel Ugarte, who joined from Paris Saint-Germain for £43 million, made the matchday squad but remained on the bench. New arrivals Matthijs de Ligt, Noussair Mazraoui, and Joshua Zirkzee were all named in the starting eleven. In midfield, Christian Eriksen returned to the lineup, replacing Casemiro, who has faced criticism for his recent form. Ten Hag explained that Eriksen’s strong performances in training had earned him a spot in the starting lineup, while expressing confidence that Casemiro would soon find his way back into the team.
The Southampton game was a welcome return to winning ways for United after their disappointing 3-0 loss to Liverpool in their previous Premier League fixture. That defeat, which took place at Old Trafford, was marked by two goals from Luis Diaz and a record 12th goal against United from Mohamed Salah.
Southampton, newly promoted back to the Premier League, has endured a tough return to the top flight, losing all three of their opening games and finding themselves in the relegation zone alongside Everton and Wolverhampton Wanderers. Their struggles were evident as United comfortably controlled the match, with Rashford’s goal adding to the pressure on a Southampton side desperate for points.
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