United boss emphasizes collective improvement amid goal drought.
Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has issued a firm challenge to Marcus Rashford, urging the forward to rediscover his best form and become a consistent contributor for the team.
Rashford, 27, opened the scoring for United in Sunday’s 1-1 draw against Ipswich Town at Portman Road, celebrating with his signature “finger-to-temple” gesture. However, his impact waned for the rest of the match. The forward has struggled to replicate his career-best 2022-23 season, in which he scored 30 goals under Erik ten Hag. Since the start of last season, Rashford has managed just 13 goals for his club.
Speaking after the game, Amorim addressed Rashford’s form and his fit within United’s current 3-4-3 system, acknowledging the player’s potential while calling for greater effort.
“I will try to help him,” Amorim said. “That position [as a central striker] is not the best one for him, especially in a game like that. We have to apply high pressure and fight with two giants.
“We’ll try to find the right solution for him and the other players. But first, he has to be Marcus—he has to want it. He’ll have the full support of the staff, the club, and the fans, but it starts with him.”
A Testing Time for United’s Attack
Rashford’s central role came as a result of underwhelming form from other forwards, including summer signing Rasmus Højlund and Joshua Zirkzee. Zirkzee, who joined from Bologna, has scored only once this season. Amorim acknowledged the team’s broader struggles in front of goal, stressing the need for collective improvement.
“Of course, it’s a concern, but we need to improve as a team,” Amorim said. “We have quality players who can score goals. In the second half [against Ipswich], we controlled possession but weren’t dangerous enough.
“Players like Rasmus, Josh, and Rash will score more goals. Even Bruno [Fernandes] needs to score more. Amad, too, has to be better near the goal. These players have the talent, and we’ll work on improving as a unit to unlock that potential.”
Rashford’s decline in form over the past year included missing out on England’s squad for the European Championship last summer. Amorim’s comments suggest that the manager sees Rashford as a crucial piece of his plans but also as a player in need of renewed focus and determination.
United, currently grappling with inconsistency, will hope that Rashford and the rest of their attack can find the spark needed to elevate the team’s performances in the coming weeks.
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