Manchester United are enduring a tough season which is reliant on the FA Cup final separating it from being a success, or a catastrophic failure.
Where the Champions League and Premier League are concerned, Manchester United have underperformed. The team were eliminated in the group stages in Europe, and are just about clinging onto sixth place domestically.
At a club like Manchester United, this leads to major fallout, and there isincreased speculation over the squad being ripped up.
Not even Marcus Rashford is safe, with last season’s top goalscorer considered no longer untouchable.
Rashford is currently out with an injury and recently expressed unhappiness at being targeted for criticism from supporters.
Phil Bardsley speaks on Marcus Rashford
Marcus Rashford’s situation was a topic of conversation on MUTV’s The Debate, which looked at the forward’s recent post.
Rashford has struggled for form this season, along with most of the club’s forward players. After netting 30 times last season, it is Rashford’s return of just eight goals which really stands out, however.
Former academy player Phil Bardsley was asked if Rashford was being unfairly targeted, and he agreed. He argues that Rashford’s improved new contract has also worked against him.
He said: “I think so yeah. First and foremost, because he’s an outstanding player, because of the standards he has set in the last three or four years, five years, have been exceptional.
“One of the things that’s played against him this year is that he’s signed a new contract, and he becomes a target.
“He’s on whatever he’s on, good luck to him. [people say] ‘he’s took his foot off the gas’, I don’t believe that’s the case, that he’s taken his foot off the gas purposely.
“I truly believe that from a players point of view you have phases in your career where you have tough moments, its difficult.”
He also alluded to off-pitch situations making the matter more complex than simply being a purely football matter.
“You have things off the pitch that people don’t understand, family issues, friends, and I know I’m not speaking for Marcus here, he lost someone close to him which has affected him in some way.
“I do believe he’s an easy target for the media, for United fans etc. It’ll be interesting to see what he does in the summer.”
Rashford must find hunger to succeed
Bardsley noted that it is uncertain whether Rashford will make the Euro 2024 squad, and regardless of the outcome, he must return to Manchester United refreshed in the summer.
He commented: “Has he done enough to make that squad? Hopefully he picks his form up over the next five games towards the end of the season and he can get on the plane to Germany.
“He can have a nice break, refresh himself, come back in the right frame of mind to show everyone he can be the main man, he wants to stay here a long time and win trophies, because that’s the sort of player he is.
“He deserves to be here. He’s come from the academy, and he’s one of the best graduates to come from the academy to be perfectly honest. We want to see him stay here and winning trophies.”
It’s clear something needs to change for Marcus Rashford, and he has shown he is capable of turning it around before.
His career at Old Trafford has been something of a rollercoaster. His 30 goal year came after a torrid season in 2021/22, and he returned early for pre-season with extra motivation to turn it around.
Missing out on the Euros this summer could do him a favour, giving him the clean break and rests he needs.
There is still some football left to be played this season, and signing off with a FA Cup final winner might just turn everything around.
