Marcus Rashford Manchester United 03022019Getty

Goalscoring Rashford becomes second-youngest Man Utd player to reach Premier League milestone

Marcus Rashford became the second-youngest Manchester United player to reach 100 Premier League appearances, celebrating with the opening goal against Leicester.

The England international played his 100th league game for the Red Devils just 95 days past his 21st birthday. Only Ryan Giggs achieved the feat at a younger age, playing his 100th Premier League game at 21 years and 74 days old en route to becoming United's top appearance maker in the competition, with 632 appearances in the Premier League as well as 40 more in the old First Division.

Rashford has enjoyed a starring role in the United starting XI since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took charge of the club in December and scored his sixth goal in eight league appearances since the former striker replaced Jose Mourinho in the dugout.

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The forward's performances have earned rave reviews from his new boss, with Solskjaer claiming that Rashford is now one of the team's most important players.

“I’m delighted for him because he’s coming on and he’ll be a top, top player,” Solskjaer told reporters at the end of December. “The way he’s gone about this job, playing up top, the work rate he puts in, he’s got everything.

“I’m really pleased that he’ll get goals. But his work rate, all the work he puts in, that’s a big pleasing thing for me - with the whole team, because we should never be outworked by anyone. And he’s the catalyst. I’ll have to slow him down at times."

Rashford's opening goal took his Premier League tally to 26 in the competition. Since his debut in February 2016, no United player has scored more goals than Rashford in the Premier League.

His return of eight league goals this season is also a career high, having improved on five goals in each of his first two seasons and then a seven-goal tally in 2017-18 under Mourinho. Rashford's recent form also saw him named Manchester United's player of the month for January and earned him a nomination for the Premier League player of the month award.

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