Marcus Rashford has spoken about life at Manchester United and his rise through the ranks to becoming one of the most important players in the first team.
The Wythenshawe-born forward has started every Premier League game for United this season and has scored nine goals in all competitions so far.
In a short space of time, he has gone from being a young player making his mark at a big club, to one of its most important players, and someone who will now be able to help new players find their feet at Old Trafford.
“It’s a massive privilege [to play for United],” Rashford told Inside United magazine.
“For me, I’ve been at United for many years and the amount of friends I’ve seen come and go is huge, and it just makes you feel, as you say, privileged that you managed to get the opportunity.
“But once you get the opportunity, the hardest thing is staying there. So that’s the challenge.”
He already has 36 caps for England, in which he has scored eight goals. He has joined up with the squad for the upcoming games against Montenegro and Kosovo where he will be looking to add to his tally.
Rashford has become used to finding the net at club level, and the 22-year-old scored the third goal in the recent victory against Brighton. He has five goals in his last five games as United's form has taken a turn for the better.
“It’s a huge feeling,” Rashford added when asked what it’s like to score for the club. “It’s always slightly different but you always get a tremendous rush of blood. It’s always something special. It’s hard to forget those moments.”
Rashford, who has been at the club since the age of seven, says he tries to remain grounded and not get too carried away during good or bad runs of form.
He also spoke about what it was like to be thrust into the limelight at his hometown club, saying: “The first couple of games that you play, it can be tough, when you go back home or when you go to the shop.
“A simple thing like going to the shop to buy something – it used to take you two or five minutes, but now it is like a 30-minute trip to go and get something.
“I just try to maintain a level head. You know, whether you win or you lose, if you try to keep the same sort of feeling and a level head, it tends to help you best.
“So I don’t like to get too down or too high."