Analysing Marcus Rashford’s game-changing performance against West Ham

Tue 3 January 2017 18:00, UK

For 58 minutes of Manchester United’s match at the London Stadium against West Ham, they were being thoroughly frus♐trated by a stubborn back-four and the disciplined ten-men of the hosts.

Th🎃is is when Jose Mourinho introduced 19-year-old Marcus Rashford into the match, replacing the largely ineffective Jesse Lin🔥gard on the left-wing in an attempt to break down the Hammers’ firm resistance.

Half an hour later and ꧒Rashford had changed the game on its head, tearing down West Ham’s defensive wall with his change of pace, laying the ball on a plate for Juan Mata to score United’s first and continuing to be a threat until the final whistle.

After being part of Mourinho’s starting line-up for ten of United’s first thi🦹rteen Premier League matches this season, Rashford was dropped to the bench against Everton and has since been reduced to the odd cameo performance – against West Ham it was the first time the teenager has played ꧂more than 30 minutes of a match since the 1-1 draw with Arsenal back in November.

Rashford has also struggled to score﷽ since the opening few games of the season; he scored three times in his first four starts, but since then has failed to find the back of the net in twelve matches.

It’s fair to say that the pressure has been increasing on the youngster, but he replied to his rec♛ent critics superbly with an explosive display against the Hammers and reminded everyone that his first season at Old Trafford was more than just a fluke.

His performance at London Stadium was full of pace, guil🌄e and boldness, with Rashford willing to run off the ball into spaces where Lingard wasn’t exploiting.

Rashford’s pace was what announced him on the scene last season, but there seems to be an added 🎀maturity to the striker this year. His assist for Mata’s goal was nothing short of exceptional, beating Havard Nordtveit with his acceleration before drawing the sliding challenge of Pedro Obiang, holding the ball up and pulling it back to a completely un-marked Mata on the penalty spot.

This was all within five minutes🎉 of coming on, and it set the tone for the rest of Rashford’s game.

He continued to terrorise West Ham’s defence, with༒ their defenders not sure whether to close him down or stand off of him, and this gave the England striker room to work in.

Rashford also completed 25 of his 26 passes, creating two good chances, and it’s clear to 🙈see the impact that working under Mourinho in training is having on the youngster.

The composure he showed for United’s first goal was evident again in the dying mo𝔍ments of injury time, when he stood the ball up for Herrera at the back post to volley at Randolph in goal, who saved well down to his left.

The 19-year-old is one of few English players in the Premier League with raw, young talent, and it’s undeniable that he is in the right place to grow under the manag🥂ement of the experienced Mourinho.

Afteꦇr his incredible burst onto the scene last season under Louis van Gaal, it’s easyܫ to forget how young Rashford is; it’s fair to say he will become part of this Manchester United side for years to come.

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Analysing Marcus Rashford’s game-changing performance against West Ham