Why inconsistent Marcus Rashford is being accused of ‘biggest crime in the world’ at Man Utd

The England international is now 26 years of age and has taken in over 400 appearances for the Red Devils. He has broken through the 20-goal barrier in three of his seasons at senior level, with a personal best return of 30 efforts recorded in the 2022-23 campaign.

Consistency is, however, proving to be an issue – with that return in the final third dipping to just eight strikes last season. Questions have been asked of whether Rashford, who is working on a lucrative contract at Old Trafford, can ever maintain elite form while tied to the club that gave him his big break.

Asked if if that is possible, or whether a move elsewhere may be required, former United defender Paul Parker – speaking in association with William Hill Vegas – told GOAL: “Because of everything about him, him being a local lad, I don’t know if he could go and do that [thrive elsewhere]. If he’s able to go and do that, that tells you there is something wrong for him at that football club. I would be very surprised if he does because I don’t think he wants to be seen as letting people down – the old saying was ‘sh*tting on your doorstep’. He hasn’t exactly been doing well for himself. We can all have bad games, it’s human nature. A man that goes to the office doesn’t have a great day everyday, but you still expect him to give everything and do his best to make amends. I don’t think Marcus Rashford has tried too hard to do that.”

Parker went on to say, with Rashford finding the target in his last two outings for United in Premier League and Carabao Cup competition: “I think he’s got something behind him now, three goals, half-decent performances, but this is his time now. A lot of people have got to get off blaming the manager for that, you need to look at the individual. There are too many excuses now being made, or people are using social media as their get-out clause to get away with things because we’re in this world where you don’t want to offend and people are jumping on it and want to feel sorry.

“There is only so far you can go when people are expected to do a job, and playing football is a job. It’s a job you aren’t in by yourself, you are in with a lot of people and you don’t want to let anyone down because it should hurt you if you do let people down. If you can’t make amends for it, then it should haunt you because you have never made amends because you didn’t do enough. When we talk about Marcus Rashford and what he’s not doing well, it’s the biggest crime in the world that you are doing something that you love and you’re not working hard.”

United may have to continue leaning on home-grown stars such as Rashford, Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho as they are no longer the go-to option for superstar performers. Asked if that is a concern, with the days of snapping up hot prospects such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney seemingly long gone, Parker added: “Again, it’s going back to what the club is about. I signed for Manchester United because it was Manchester United. It was because of my parents, because my dad knew Charlton, Best and Law – even though he’s a big cricket fan coming from Jamaica, that’s what he knew. I had the opportunity to sign for them but I could have stayed in London. I could have signed for the team that I supported, that I followed more as a kid, Tottenham. Manchester United came along as I was sat there in the Royal Lancaster Hotel talking to Terry Venables. Manchester United then rung.

“People asked me if I went there to win leagues – I went there because it’s Manchester United. I saw them winning FA Cup finals, and that’s what it was about to go there. To go there and achieve something, then I understood that Manchester United is a team set up to win league titles. The FA Cup was the biggest thing that I knew about – it was the last game of the season and all that we talked about until the season started again and you went through it again. Once you get into football, you understand that it is about the long game. The long game is the league. I never understood that until such time as I started playing for Manchester United and realised how much it meant when you are at a club that wants to compete and win that, and believes that they should be. I think that United have to be getting back to where a lot of people want them to be, and that is competing to win league titles. I don’t think it’s a case of talking about wanting to win it because at the moment it would be far-fetched.”

Erik ten Hag has delivered silverware in each of his two seasons at the helm – Carabao Cup and FA Cup triumphs – but his ongoing presence in the dugout remains a topic of lively debate. Speculation around Rashford appears set to rage on as well, with a proven performer under pressure to deliver on the expectations that he helped to establish.