22 December 2023 , 22:30
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Erik ten Hag has challenged Marcus Rashford to prove his enduring value to Manchester United and win back his starting place.
Rashford, who scored 30 goals last season, has just two this campaign and has started United's last three Premier League games on the bench. The England striker, United's highest-paid player on £350,0000-a-week, has lost his place in United's attack to 19-year-old starlet Alejandro Garnacho.
Rashford is expected to be on the bench again at West Ham, where Ten Hag's side will be looking to end a miserable 297-minute goal drought.
United have failed to score in their last three games – a 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth, a 1-0 loss to Bayern Munich - both at home - and a goalless draw at Liverpool. If United fail to score, it will equal their worst run in the Premier League since April 2015, against Chelsea, Everton and West Brom, under Louis van Gaal.
As well as Rashford's woes, United's £72million summer signing Rasmus Hojlund has yet to score in the Premier League, despite netting five times in Europe.
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On Rashford losing his place, Ten Hag said: “He's training well. It can always be better, but I think he's such an experienced player. He's mid-20s, but he's a very experienced player, and he knows how top football works.
“He knows he has to take the responsibility and I'm sure he will do that himself. He was ill last week, so that's why he didn't start against Bayern Munich and also why he didn't start against Liverpool. Also, I must say that Garnacho has done very well in the last month, so there's internal competition.
“I'm always very supportive of players and I know, especially front players, they need more trust and support from a manager. But I have a strong belief in Hojlund and Rashford that they are capable of scoring a lot of goals. Rashford, last year under me, proved he can score many goals when he's at his best.
“I have a similar feeling and opinion about Hojlund, because he has shown in the Champions League, at the highest level, that he's scoring goals. We have to work as a group, as a team, on our attacking game, but they are capable of scoring a lot of goals.”
United have managed just 18 league goals this season, with Liverpool, Manchester City, Aston Villa and Newcastle all scoring at least twice as many as Ten Hag's misfiring side.
“We can definitely improve, but it's not about one player, it's a group - all of us. My philosophy is we have to attack with 11. We have to get movement better, decision making on the ball has to be better. Sometimes we have to be more clinical, and the best chance at Liverpool was ours.”
United are without Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez, Victor Lindelof, Casemiro, Mason Mount, Tyrell Malacia and Diogo Dalot, who is suspended following his red card at Anfield.