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Marcus Rashford is holding “one-on-one” sessions with Ruud van Nistelrooy as the Manchester United forward seeks to “return to his best” after a disappointing twelve months at Old Trafford.
In Erik ten Hag’s debut season at the club, Rashford returned a career best 30 goals while providing 10 assists across all competitions.
United would win the Carabao Cup – the Red Devils’ first trophy in six years – and return to the Champions League with a comfortable third place finish in the Premier League, courtesy of these fantastic contributions by the academy graduate.
Rashford was subsequently rewarded with a bumper new deal at the end of the 2022/23 season, making him one of the club’s highest earners, and it felt as if the forward had firmly established himself as one of the league’s best, and most consistent, goal threats.
However, the 2023/24 season proved disastrous, for both Rashford and United, as the club endured their worst Premier League campaign in the competition’s history with the 26-year-old a shadow of the player the year prior.
Only 8 goals and 6 assists across 43 games, with abject general play and disciplinary issues throughout the season, saw Rashford struggle to maintain his place in Ten Hag’s starting eleven. The forward was also omitted by Gareth Southgate from the England squad for EURO 2024 in Germany – an indication that it was not simply the Dutch manager who disagreed with Rashford’s performance levels.
The summer was seen as a chance for the Rashford to reset and there were positive noises emerging from the club’s pre-season tour that the 26-year-old was looking sharper and hungrier.
And while there have been improvements in his work-rate and general play in United’s opening three games of the season, these have been marginal when his continued struggles with finishing, timing of runs in behind, and link-up play are factored in.
However, it’s now been revealed by The Sun that Rashford is conducting “extra sessions” with Van Nistelrooy – United’s legendary number nine who re-joined the club as an assistant coach this summer – in a bid to improve his striking abilities.
The report contends, “Van Nistelrooy, who returned as one of Erik ten Hag’s assistants in the summer, is holding one-on-one sessions with the misfiring frontman to resolve the problem.”
“The Dutchman has been staying behind after regular training to work with him on all aspects of the attacker’s role. There has been particular focus on back post awareness and runs across the box. And insiders insist Rashford is lapping up the extra work.”
This is an encouraging development, as there are few figures within football who know more about scoring goals for Van Nistelrooy, but United will need to see the fruits of these labours sooner rather than later if they are to enjoy a successful season.
The club’s disappointing defeat on Saturday to Brighton & Hove Albion, in which they carved out enough chances to win the game, was another example of the profligacy of United’s forward line coming back to bite the team.
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