Alan Shearer believes the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo has been the biggest factor behind Marcus Rashford's improvement at Manchester United this season.
Rashford has had his best season at United this campaign and found the back of the net on 30 occasions in all competitions. He is comfortably the club's top scorer by more than double the player sitting second on the list in the form of Bruno Fernandes.
Ronaldo departed United under controversial circumstances in November. It followed a bombshell interview with Piers Morgan where the Portuguese superstar criticised several aspects of the club, and which led to him leaving Old Trafford for the second time in his playing career.
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United have had a successful season without Ronaldo. They have claimed a third-placed finish in the Premier League and the return of Champions League football that comes with that, as well as winning the Carabao Cup and reaching the FA Cup final.
Shearer believes many factors have been behind Rashford's improvement this season, including Erik ten Hag's management, his finishing and his fitness being better. But he feels above all that Ronaldo no longer being at Old Trafford has been the most beneficial thing for Rashford's development.
He told BBC Sport: "There’s no doubt Erik ten Hag has helped him, his finishing has improved, he’s fitter now. Last season he played with a lot of injuries which didn’t help his situation but - and it’s a big but - I think the biggest thing that has happened to him is Ronaldo leaving.
"He feels as if he’s the main man, he feels as if he can be himself, he feels it doesn’t if he misses a chance as he’s still going to get another one, he’s still going to be able to play the next game. You can see the difference when Ronaldo left - 17 in 19 games.
"I still think his finishing can improve at times. Yes, he’s very good down the middle but I still think on that left-hand side with his ability to sniff out things and run in behind and have that big space to run into, he’s been an important player this season. He looks happy - happy to be himself again - and I do think a big part of that is Ronaldo leaving."
A Manchester Evening News special souvenir edition - Fergie's First - charts United's 1992/93 title-winning campaign and you can get your hands on one here
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