Ипсвич Таун багтай хийсэн тоглолтод оролцсон Маркус Рэшфорд талбай дээрх хичээл зүтгэлээрээ олны анхаарлыг татаж, багийн бүрэлдэхүүнд шинэ эрч хүч нэмлээ.
Барселона дахь зээлийн гэрээний хугацаа дуусч, Манчестер Юнайтед эргэн ирсэн Маркус Рэшфорд Ипсвич Таун багийг 5-2-ын харьцаатай хожсон тоглолтод гарааны бүрэлдэхүүнд багтан талбайд гарлаа. Хэдийгээр тус тоглолтод гоол оруулж, оновчтой дамжуулалт өгөөгүй ч тэрээр довтолгооны шинэ хувилбаруудыг санал болгож, хамгаалагчдыг сандаргасан тоглолтыг үзүүлэв. Ялангуяа Люк Шоутай хоршин тоглосон нь багийн довтолгоонд үр дүнтэй зэвсэг болж байсан бөгөөд тэрээр энэ улиралд нийт 7 боломжийг үүсгээд байна.
Тоглолтын дараа дасгалжуулагч Майкл Каррик Маркус Рэшфордын гүйцэтгэлд сэтгэл хангалуун байгаагаа илэрхийлж, түүнийг багтаа “шинэ тоглогч” мэт хүлээн авч буйгаа онцолжээ. Барселона зээлийн гэрээнд заасан худалдан авах нөхцөлийг хэрэгжүүлээгүй нь Маркус Рэшфордын хувьд Манчестер Юнайтед дахь карьераа дахин эхлүүлэх боломж болсон юм.
Маркус Рэшфорд хувийн амжилтын хувьд Премьер лигт 100 гоолын босгыг давахад 11 гоол, Манчестер Юнайтед төлөө 150 гоол бүртгүүлэхэд 12 гоол дутуу байна. Тэрээр өмнөх үеийнхээс ялгаатай нь багийн довтолгооны бүрэлдэхүүнд үүрэг хүлээж, илүү тогтвортой, шаргуу тоглолтыг үзүүлэх хандлагатай байгаа нь хөгжөөн дэмжигчдийн дунд эерэг хүлээлтийг үүсгэж байна.
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Considering Marcus Rashford and Manchester United both thought his time at the club was up, his first game back at Old Trafford in 20 months felt a lot more natural than one might expect.
In the beginning, it was slightly surreal to see Rashford, now bearing No 9, sprinting down the left wing in a red shirt, having got used to him wearing the claret and blue of Aston Villa, then the garnet and blue of Barcelona. But as the minutes went on, his return to United made growing sense.
Although there are still 48 hours of the transfer window left, everybody is expecting Rashford to stay — indeed, that outcome was predicted by well-placed sources, speaking anonymously to protect relationships, a fortnight ago — and now we can, with a second full debut as evidence, imagine what this season looks like for him and his team.
It does not seem outlandish to say that if he carries on as he did against Ipswich Town, then head coach Michael Carrick will be happy that Barcelona declined to trigger the buy option in their loan agreement with United.
Rashford did not score or assist in the 5-2 victory, but he gave United a different way to attack than the other forwards in Carrick’s squad. His dribble into the box, past two Ipswich players, in the seventh minute reminded supporters of a player who can get defenders backpedalling and panicking. He nudged the ball back for Matheus Cunha, who blasted over.
In the second half, he collected a long pass, with his back to goal, then swerved past Darnell Furlong, nutmegged Issa Diop to move into the area, but got crowded out by two defenders. These are close-control skills of a level not many can match.
Then there is his understanding with Luke Shaw, which could be an effective weapon this season, disrupting defences. Having spent eight seasons together, they have picked up where they left off, with Shaw confident in his overlapping runs knowing he will get the pass more often than not.
Rashford weighted one perfectly with the score at 1-1, allowing Shaw to cross for a cutback that got intercepted, but led to the ball being recycled and Diogo Dalot crossing deep from the right for Rashford to stretch to reach. His centre, on the volley, found Bryan Mbeumo, who hit the bar. He has created seven chances this season, with only Chelsea’s Morgan Rogers (nine) creating more in the Premier League.
Rashford also did the gritty stuff that he was criticised for avoiding towards the end of his first spell. An early tackle in midfield on Julio Enciso drew cheers from the crowd, while a challenge 10 minutes from the end to muscle Abdul Fatawu off the ball ensured the applause lingered long as he was substituted.
This game showed that bond between fans and player, which was fractured in 2024, can be re-established when that same effort is shown every week.
After the final whistle, speaking to journalists, Harry Maguire provided a player’s perspective, touching on how the turbulence at United, when not winning titles, can take a toll. The reasons around Rashford’s departure have been documented, of course.
But he appears refreshed. His period away, in the present light, looks like a reset.
His new status probably suits him too. From being the star on whom much depended — leading to that £325,000-per-week contract off the back of scoring 30 goals in all competitions in 2022-23 — he has returned to take a more of a supporting role. Bruno Fernandes, Cunha, Mbeumo, and even Benjamin Sesko have a similar kind of expectation on them to deliver.
The pressure to lead is now shared at United (David Davies/PA Images via Getty Images)
Obviously, there will be demands on Rashford, but not to win games almost single-handedly, as there were in the past.
If he does stay focused, engaged, energised, it is hard to think how much United would have had to spend to replace a player of his calibre. Certainly, more than the €30million buy option available to Barcelona.
At the time of negotiation, United and Rashford thought it was effectively guaranteed Barcelona would pay that money to keep him. But the La Liga club signing Anthony Gordon at the end of May shattered that expectation.
Other clubs made approaches, Rashford considered his options, but Carrick was in touch throughout, and United began to come to the conclusion that the most realistic, prudent outcome was the 28-year-old being reintegrated.
By the time Rashford returned to pre-season, he was not searching for other clubs and was excited to be working with Carrick, his former team-mate and coach.
Marcus Rashford is back at United after his loan at Barcelona (Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images)
United had looked at signing Crysencio Summerville, who finished last season impressively for West Ham United. But his tally was still just five goals in 31 Premier League games. The season before that, he got one in 19. In late July, Summerville moved to Al Hilal in a deal worth up to £60m.
One motivation for Rashford is the records he can still hit with United. He is 11 goals off a century in the Premier League, while 12 more for United would put him on 150 in all competitions, level with Ruud van Nistelrooy in 10th place on the club’s all-time list, ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo (11th).
Rashford went close to narrowing that gap against Ipswich. He strained in vain to reach Cunha’s cross in the first half, and it was notable that he took United’s first direct free kick of the game, striking over from 30 yards. Fernandes and Mbeumo applauded the effort.
When he met another of Dalot’s deep crosses from the right, with a firm volley at the far post, Old Trafford was ready to explode. Goalkeeper Kjell Scherpen made a good save.
Rashford’s return has been a pragmatic decision by all parties. But it could yet lead to romantic results.
There remains caution around going too far when projecting Rashford’s future impact, but Carrick, who understands how the football industry works, seems genuinely pleased.
“He’s adding to the group for us; it’s pretty obvious,” said United’s head coach. “I’ve known him for a while. He wasn’t here when I came back, and now he is. I think he’s making the most of that for us and for him as well, to have the opportunity to be here. He’s one of our own. He’s living his dream, playing here and trying to be successful and win.
“Whatever’s gone on, I think part of this club, there were players that maybe were going to leave, didn’t leave. It’s always about what you do next and what your intentions are.
“He’s been fantastic since he came back, I have to say, and it was great to see him on the pitch today for us. Marcus feels like a new signing.”
