Man Utd urged to bench 29-goal Marcus Rashford after one strike in last seven matches as front three ‘let the club down’

• Personal-best goal return posted
• Has been a key man for Ten Hag
• End product has dried up of late

WHAT HAPPENED? The England international forward has enjoyed a welcome return to form in 2022-23, with a personal-best goal return posted after finding the target on 29 occasions in all competitions. End product has dried up of late, though, with two efforts recorded in his last 10, and questions are being asked of whether the 25-year-old is offering enough to the collective cause.

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WHAT THEY SAID: Former United defender Parker, who won two Premier League titles during his time at Old Trafford, has told Bonus Code Bets: “It’s time to talk about whether Marcus Rashford deserves to be in the starting line-up. We can no longer avoid that conversation. His goals have dried up and scoring goals is his biggest strength. Is he really looking like a player who is going to score a goal? I think we have to say no. Is he creating anything? No. Is he really affecting other teams? I think the answer is no to be perfectly honest. He wasn’t there against Brighton or West Ham.

“He has strengths but he doesn’t want to use them. His strength is to run in behind and take on players, beat opponents and he is not doing that. He can’t play in the middle and the manager knows that. He needs to interact more with his team-mates. He is not making them better and all the other players like Antony, [Jadon] Sancho and [Wout] Weghorst must think inside of themselves: Why is Rashford staying on when he in fact should be the one subbed off?”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Parker added on the Rashford poser facing United’s coaching team: “Erik ten Hag can't afford to sub him off. Especially not if Man United are chasing a goal. He is worried that he will get a crazy bounce back from the fans if he takes him off. That’s why he also might think he needs to play him in the starting line-up. But I think every fan will look at him right now and think: Does he look like he is going to score a goal? No. Everything that happens with him is coincidental and instinctive. He doesn’t interact or integrate with the team at all.

“He gives away the ball quite cheaply and then he walks back. He doesn’t give enough to the team. But he is a big player because of the goals he has scored and Man United need their big players to perform. The problem is that they can’t continue to rely on a player that doesn’t perform or makes his team-mates look better. He has been a part of a front three that has let the club down and is so far away from what a front three should be at Man United with the standard the fans have been used to.”

IN TWO PHOTOS:

WHAT NEXT? Rashford has been United’s brightest attacking spark this season, with Sancho struggling for consistency, Antony failing to live up to his £85 million ($106m) price tag, Antony Martial facing more form and fitness issues and January signing Wout Weghorst netting just twice during a loan spell that few could have predicted.