Liverpool legend Graeme Souness has insisted that one Manchester United star has “everything” in his arsenal and is only “missing” one key feature from his playstyle.
Manchester United’s up-and-down Premier League season under manager Erik ten Hag ended on Sunday after a 2-0 away win against Brighton.
Erik ten Hag has now turned his attention to Saturday as United face Premier League champions Manchester City in the FA Cup final at Wembley.
The under-fire United boss will be keen for the Red Devils to avenge their 2023 FA Cup final defeat to Manchester City and capture major silverware this season.
Ten Hag has had to contend with injuries ravaging his first-team squad in the current season, with the Dutchman coming under criticism over United’s run of form.
The former Ajax boss has also had to deal with off-field issues as well, including his rift with Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford’s antics away from football.
Amid United’s chaotic season, Ten Hag’s long-term future has been shrouded in mystery after Ineos chief Sir Jim Ratcliffe arrived as co-owner of the club.
Souness talks Man Utd star’s ability
Speaking on talkSPORT’s ‘Simon & Souness’ show, Liverpool legend Graeme Souness raised questions about Marcus Rashford’s career at Manchester United.
Marcus Rashford, who inked a new deal with United last summer, was in the form of his life in the 2022-23 season and saw a career resurgence under Erik ten Hag.
The 26-year-old United star scored an impressive 30 times in 56 appearances across all competitions in Ten Hag’s debut season at Old Trafford.
However, Rashford’s form has fallen off a cliff in the 2023-24 season and the United star has only managed to score eight times in 42 appearances.
The United forward also missed out on a place in England’s Euro 2024 squad for Germany this summer, with Gareth Southgate revealing why he snubbed him.
Souness has now claimed that there has been “no leadership from the management” to Rashford amid his struggling form this season.
“It is more difficult to be a young starlet if you’re at Man United than anywhere else,” he said.
“They get far too much acclaim, adulation, money, recognition – everything you want – they get far more at Man United than any other football club.
“And I think that is the case when I was a player, and it’s still the case.
“There’s been no leadership from the management to him [Rashford].
“If you think of Fergie [Sir Alex Ferguson] with Ryan Giggs and the way he dealt with it and he became an absolute world superstar.
“Who are the senior players going, ‘Marcus, this is the way we do it.’
Souness on what Rashford is missing
Souness admitted that he thinks Rashford has “everything” in his arsenal to be a top-level player, with the Liverpool legend spotlighting his “electric pace.”
However, the former Sky Sports pundit added that one all-important ability that Rashford misses in his football is being a “clinical finisher.”
“He could end his career as one of the great disappointments in the history of the English game, with all the ability he possesses,” Souness added.
“I think he has everything, the only thing you would say he is missing is he’s not a clinical finisher.
“But he’s had a couple of good years, he can drop a shoulder and he’s got electric pace.
“He got 30 goals last year and he’s got seven [Premier League] goals now, I’m not describing a top player.”