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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
Richard Fay

Marcus Rashford is doing what Ronaldo told him to do at Manchester United

He might have overslept last week, but there was no sleeping on Marcus Rashford when he proved to be Manchester United's saviour again at the weekend.

The 25-year-old was rightfully dropped from the United starting line up for the trip to Wolves after missing a team meeting in the build-up to the match, and he responded in the perfect manner with the only goal of the game in spectacular style.

Rashford has been rejuvenated, scoring 11 goals in his last 20 appearances, and is flourishing under Erik ten Hag and striking mentor Benni McCarthy.

Read more: United have already found their perfect Ronaldo replacement

The South African coach has helped Rashford get back to basics with his approach in front of goal, and he is not the only former striker who has had a massive impact on the forward's career.

Rashford attended his first live match a year before McCarthy famously scored twice for Porto at Old Trafford to knock United out of the Champions League, one that would shape his own ambitions as a player.

On the night United were once again dumped out of Europe, this time by Real Madrid, legendary forward Ronaldo grabbed a hat-trick and was famously given a standing ovation by the entire stadium.

At full-time, Sir Alex Ferguson admitted 'you can’t legislate for someone who produces moments like that,' and despite their own shortcomings, United simply didn't have anything to match the individual brilliance of the Brazilian.

It was a moment that captured the wild excitement of a five-year-old Rashford, who is now looking to emulate his hero with a similarly carefree approach to his game twenty years later.

“I used to watch a lot of him growing up, all of his games,” Rashford said of his childhood idol. “He was obviously a top player who won a lot of things in his career, so when you know he's saying good things about you, then it really stands out.

“He always played free. No matter where he was playing, he played free and went out there and expressed himself. When you do that, that's when you play your best football.”

The comparison with Ronaldo has even been acknowledged by the Brazil legend, who saw similarities to Rashford at a young age with his own approach.

“He’s a very good young player. I see some of myself in him for sure - he has courage and he’s fast and is very good with the ball," the Real Madrid great admitted.

“I think for the strikers they have to be hungry to score and I see that with him. He has an amazing future.”

Rashford has certainly rediscovered his hunger for goals and is playing with courage in his own ability, both clear signs of the happy working environment Ten Hag has established at the club.

There has never been any question of Rashford's ability, but more so of his own self-belief, something that clearly needed attention after such a physically and emotionally draining few seasons.

It is no surprise that the United forward is now playing his best football with a smile on his face, having admitted that he simply 'wasn't in the right headspace' last season.

It once again brings to light the importance of mental health awareness in football and is another reality check that being physically fit does not tell the full story, with so many other contributing factors to how a footballer plays.

They might seem like unrelatable totems living in a privileged bubble, but they are still just young men with the same struggles as most, who are heavily scrutinised and publicly told if they are doing their job properly or not.

With so many footballers earning huge amounts of money, there is often little sympathy for their own personal wellbeing, something that is regularly overlooked when analysing their performances and form.

It is brilliant to see Rashford back among the goals, but it is even better to see him doing so with a smile on his face again and a clear love for the game.

He still has a long way to go before he can be promoted to the top bracket with his childhood hero, though based on recent performances, there is still a genuine argument that he can.

United might have just lost one Ronaldo, but they have another in their ranks.

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