The morning after Marcus Rashford scored twice against Arsenal on his Premier League debut, Manchester United staff congratulated him in the Carrington canteen. The 18 year old looked embarrassed to be the centre of attention, even though teammates were telling him to enjoy it because he deserved it.
When Rashford, who still changes in the under 18s dressing room rather than with the first team, scored the opening goal in the 171st Manchester derby, he became the first Mancunian to score for United in the fixture since Andy Ritchie did 37 years ago.
Club legend Paul Scholes is from Salford and to say he was not Mancunian is moot, but even Scholes was not making an impact like Rashford at such a young age.
“Rashford’s success is no surprise to me at all," Scholes said after United’s 1-0 victory over Manchester City on Sunday. “I’ve seen him play since he was 14 or 15 and then in Paul McGuinness’s side. He scores goalscorer’s goals, but there so much more to his game.
“He’s quick and he’s good outside the box and he can smash a ball, too. You’ve not seen any yet, but he hits free kicks in a dipping fashion, almost the way Ronaldo does."
United fans have yet to see him dip a free-kick Ronaldo style. It does not matter. Winning goals away to City will more than compensate.
While other coaches do not doubt Scholes’ judgement, some maintain he is raw and would not have played first team football if it was not for injuries.
It is understandable – progress for Rashford this season would have been establishing himself in the under 21s. Instead, an explosive first training session saw every player realise his talent and convinced his manager.
Off the field, Rashford is so quiet that they barely notice he is there. He is not flash, a credit to Ashton-on-Mersey school as well as his own family. His close friends are fellow young professionals Timothy Fosu-Mensah (who came on for Matteo Darmian after 82 minutes) and Axel Tuanzebe.
No matter what his attributes, Rashford will be judged by those who pay his wages on the basis of what he does on the field. Right now, he is excelling, a chink of light during testing times for United fans. He was the only Mancunian on the pitch in the Manchester derby, the only childhood United fan. And how United fans loved it when he opened his body to beat Joe Hart after receiving a pass from Juan Mata.
Rashford has scored five goals in eight games since making his debut 25 days ago. He scored twice on his European debut, twice on his Premier League debut and grabbed the winning goal in his first Manchester derby when he consistently bettered Martin Demichelis and United were unfortunate not to be awarded a penalty when the Argentine barged into him before half time.
Manuel Pellegrini admitted that Demichelis was “nervous". Only because Rashford twisted his blood.
It is not just what Rashford does in attack. In the 87th minute, Gael Clichy strode forward into United’s half to roars from fans desperate to see an equaliser. Had he been allowed to continue, City would have had an extra man advantage. Instead, he was checked by another player who ran half the length of the pitch: Rashford.
“He had cramp," smiled Louis van Gaal. “I don’t think I’ve seen a player run with cramp before."
Van Gaal is keen to play down his success.
“We don’t have to exaggerate," he said. “But he’s young, he’s good. Otherwise I don’t let him stay, but I let him stay. Last week there were questions why I let him stay from the media, now you ask if he should be in the national team. I am consistent. You not."
City did not trouble the shy boy from Wythenshawe, though there is a price to pay for the flush of success in huge football matches.
He now has to face the glare of attention in the canteen when he goes into work tomorrow.
www.thenational.ae/sport/english-premier-league/quiet-and-timid-mancunian-marcus-rashford-making-plenty-of-noise-at-manchester-united
