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Erik ten Hag backed Marcus Rashford to have a big goal-scoring season after the striker ended his six-month drought on Saturday having endured criticism from his own fans.
Rashford went 13 games without a goal before netting in the 41st minute of Manchester United’s 3-0 Premier League win over newly promoted Southampton, his first since a 2-0 win over Everton on March 9.
While Ten Hag had been questioned for starting Rashford, he said pregame on Saturday that the 26-year-old needed only one goal or assist to “fly.”
Ten Hag can only hope that the positive afternoon indeed opens the floodgates for his striker, who had just eight goals across all competitions last season after pouring in 30 in 2022-23, Ten Hag’s debut season in Manchester.
“It’s very important,” the manager said after Saturday’s victory that gave United six points after four Premier League games.
“For every striker, they want to be on the scoring list. Once the first is in, more is coming. Once a striker was talking about a ketchup bottle — once it’s going, it’s coming more.”
Individual workouts during the recent international break paid off for forward Rashford.
He was left out of the England squad for Euro 2024 and then was not called up for the wins over Finland and Republic of Ireland.
After coming under fire for a slow start to the season, he remained in Manchester during the break to work with RH Elite Coaching, spending much of the time doing finishing drills.
Rashford was left unmarked on United’s short corner in the 41st minute on Saturday, bending a diagonal shot into the far corner.
New signing Matthijs de Ligt and Alejandro Garnacho scored United’s other goals while goalkeeper André Onana saved Cameron Archer’s penalty that proved to be the turning point.
Ten Hag’s men have no time to rest on the laurels from their much-needed win. They host Barnsley in the League Cup on Tuesday.
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