Ten Hag: The whole team believes in Marcus

The homegrown no.10 hit 30 goals last season, winning both the Sir Matt Busby and Players' Player of the Year for 2022/23.

Although he has only scored once so far this term, he provided another assist, for Rasmus Hojlund's opener, in the midweek UEFA Champions League tie with Galatasaray, and the boss is convinced the reason behind the reduced output is partly to do with the way the team has been performing.

Rashford, who has been named in the England squad for the upcoming internationals with Australia and Italy, will be looking to find the net in Saturday's home game against Brentford, before another pause in domestic duties.

"That is, of course, the team and him," Erik replied at his press conference, when asked about the difference in Marcus's output in the early stages of this campaign. "It is both, so I am sure that you are always not at the same levels.

"Of course, everyone knows the qualities of him, but also the opposition knows the qualities [of him]. But if Rashy is doing the things right and the team is doing the things right, we will put him in the right places and then it is up to him.

"We have seen in the last [few] weeks that he is coming in the good positions, now he is struggling, but this will pass because everyone knows his qualities.

"Everyone at Man United supports him and the whole team is supportive to him, believes in him. So I am sure, with that confidence and belief, that the team is behind him. This will change and it will pass."

After it was suggested that the fleet-footed forward only needs one goal to begin another run, Ten Hag agreed, saying: ''That is always so. Strikers, when they don't score for a moment, they need that one goal, then they step over [it].

"It will come and he is so experienced, he knows that as well. When he is doing the right things and the team is doing the right things, that momentum will come and he will be on fire."

Rashford has two goals from our four Premier League meetings with Brentford. He scored in the capital in January 2022 and bagged the only goal of the game in the 1-0 victory at Old Trafford last April.