Ex-Manchester United frontman Dwight Yorke believes there is more to come from Marcus Rashford.
Yorke, who won the treble in 1999 with the Red Devils and is currently the head coach of Macarthur FC in Australia, is convinced that Rashford's poor form last season can be turned around in the upcoming campaign as the England international has enough attributes to become a key figure in Ten Hag's side.
When the ex-Trinidad & Tobago international was quizzed if the United fans will see a better side of the 24-year-old with a full pre-season behind him, Yorke replied as manutd's official site reported: “Listen, I’m going to tell you as it is. I’m a huge fan. As I’ve said, I spent some time around the club and watched training very close. Marcus, for me, is one of the best players at Manchester United.
“As a coach now, a head coach, I’d be saying to him he will be playing. I remember my time at Aston Villa when Brian Little came in. I was around 24 and he put his arm around me and said: ‘Listen, you are my guy, my go-to guy’.
“When I look at what Rashford brings to the team, he’s a local lad for starters and has been at the club ever since [he was a kid]. He is very passionate about the club. He is quick, fast, can jink past defenders. He can score, he can create. I think we’ve got a player there who somehow needs a little bit of love and attention and also needs to hear the correct words, as to you being in that team, you are one of my main guys.
"I think if Erik can certainly take my advice, and I know he is vastly more experienced than me, it’s what I would be doing because I see a player," he added. "I was a player and I can see a player in Marcus, a guy who has an enormous amount of talent, an enormous amount of talent. Even in training, the kind of things he does.
"I’m just amazed he’s not in a good place for some reason and that’s part of the manager’s job, to make sure he gets him back playing the kind of football I know Marcus can produce. It’s just incredible. What I would be doing if I was Erik would be saying to Marcus: you are my guy, let’s get going again. Show him some trust and believe in him. I am sure he will be producing the goods I know that he is capable of.”
"In football, you do go through ups and downs," explained Yorke, who did say maybe Cristiano Ronaldo was the exception to the norm. "In any sport, you talk to people at any level, different sports people, you go through phases. We’re human beings, not robots, we’re not going to be consistent all the time.
"But there is a way of managing that, coming through that, when you’re going through a difficult time. Football is easy when things are going well and everybody knows that. You just turn up, play, and click your fingers and everything works out the way you want it to work out. The real challenge is maintaining that consistency and everybody saying that.
"What Rashford is going through is not anything like what any other player has been through. He just needs to get his head right and also needs to be told he is very much part of Manchester United.
"He’s ready to rock and roll this season, he looks in terrific form and I’ve seen him doing little bits in the off-season training, looking really focused and I see someone determined to do well. He just needs, as I say, a little bit of trust and belief in him. I have no doubt you will probably see the best out of Marcus Rashford this season.”
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