Marcus Rashford's Comeback at Manchester United: A New Era
Harry Maguire believes Marcus Rashford is ready to matter again at Manchester United – and not on the fringes, but at the heart of things.
The 28-year-old started his first Premier League game for the club in 21 months in the 5-2 win over Ipswich at Old Trafford, and looked every bit like a man intent on reclaiming his stage. Direct, dangerous, constantly on the move, he was one of United’s main attacking threats in a chaotic, breathless game.
Only a few months ago, that sentence would have sounded far-fetched.
Rashford’s United future had been hanging by a thread after his relationship broke down with former manager Ruben Amorim. He was sent out on loan to Aston Villa and then Barcelona, where his spell went well enough that the Catalan club had the option to make the deal permanent for £26m. They walked away from it. United did not.
With the transfer window closing on Tuesday night, the picture is now clear: Rashford is staying at his boyhood club. This time, though, the onus is on him to prove he is more than just a nostalgic project.
“He’s a great talent. He’s always a threat,” said Harry Maguire, speaking with the authority of someone who knows exactly what it feels like to be written off at Old Trafford and then claw a way back. “If Marcus wants to be here, wants to work, wants to improve and help the team, of course we’re willing to have him in the team.
“He could still do a lot more and I think he’ll say he can do more, but if we keep him fit, we keep him happy, he keeps driven and hungry, he’s a great asset to have.”
The word “asset” has followed Rashford for years – a commercial figurehead, a symbol, a local hero. Lately, the conversation has been far less flattering. His work-rate has been hammered. His commitment questioned. At times, the very basic idea of whether he still enjoys football has been thrown into doubt.
The loans changed that picture, at least a little. Under Unai Emery at Aston Villa and Hansi Flick at Barcelona, Rashford rediscovered some of his edge. Different leagues, different demands, a different voice in his ear. The sense around United now is that Michael Carrick’s presence – a coach who knows him, understands his game and his personality – gives this comeback a better chance of sticking.
“You’ve got to remember Marcus has had a wonderful career for this club,” Maguire said. “But when you play at this club for numerous years, there’s going to be bad seasons, and when the bad seasons come everyone piles on you. That’s part and parcel of playing for this club.
“As a club, we haven’t been perfect from top to bottom. We haven’t been challenging at the top end. So, Marcus has been part of a rough ride for Manchester United.
“When that happens, players get dug out. I’ve been through it.”
He has. Maguire lost his place, lost the captaincy, and at one stage looked certain to leave under Erik ten Hag. Now he is back in the team, back in the conversation and, crucially, in a position to speak from experience about what comes after the backlash.
“[Rashford’s] come back in, really fit and sharp and we’re excited to have him,” he added.
Carrick has already described Rashford as feeling like a new signing. The label fits. United have not added a £26m forward; they have recovered one they nearly let slip away.
Rashford is not the only player Carrick is trying to rebuild.
Kobbie Mainoo, the midfielder transformed under the current head coach after being repeatedly overlooked by Amorim, now finds himself in need of another lift. This time the blow came from outside Old Trafford. England manager Thomas Tuchel took him to the World Cup and then left him on the bench throughout the tournament.
Mainoo’s response began against Ipswich. Handed his first start of the season, he grew into the game after United fell behind, imposing himself more and more as the contest opened up.
“I thought he was brilliant,” Maguire said. “To say he hasn’t had many minutes in pre-season, he was magnificent.
“His work without the ball has improved so much since Michael’s been in. He’s becoming a real monster in there, wins a lot of second balls and a lot of duels.”
That is exactly what United have lacked in midfield for long stretches of recent seasons: someone who relishes the dirty work as much as the pretty passes. Mainoo, still so young, looks willing to do both.
“The thing is he’s so young. If we want him to play for this club for another 10 years, there’s going to be times where he’s going to go through a patch like I spoke about with Rashy and myself,” Maguire continued. “But that’s part and parcel. He’s really level-headed, really composed and has great belief in his ability.
“He’s going to be a magnificent player for this club for many years.”
Between Rashford and Mainoo, United’s story this season is starting to feel familiar: big names trying to prove they are still relevant, young talent trying to prove it belongs. The difference now is that, under Carrick, there is a clear demand – work, run, compete – and no hiding place.
Rashford has his platform back. Mainoo has his path. The question is whether this time, when the pressure rises and the criticism returns, they can turn promise into something lasting at Old Trafford.
