The Debate: Are United reliant on Rashford?

Sunday 30 April 2023 12:36

Marcus Rashford's 2022/23 campaign has been nothing short of superb.

The England international notched his 29th goal of the season against Tottenham on Thursday, becoming the highest-scoring Red in a single campaign since Robin van Persie in 2012/13.

Already his most fruitful season to date, Marcus will, no doubt, be looking to extend that tally when Aston Villa visit Old Trafford today (Sunday) for a 14:00 BST kick-off in the Premier League.

Ahead of this match, in a special edition of The Debate which was filmed in Singapore, United legends Andy Cole, Dwight Yorke and broadcaster Justin Ang discussed whether the Reds are too reliant on our no.10.

The Debate: Singapore special Video

The Debate: Singapore special

From a pool in Singapore, Andy Cole, Dwight Yorke and broadcaster Justin Ang debate the key talking points at United...

"One hundred per cent [we are]," said Cole. "If you look at where the goals have been this season, I think it's very, very difficult to rely on one individual to get you all those goals.

"If you look at some of Manchester United's best teams, the goals have been shared around the team. That's what you need if you're going to go to try and hopefully win the title at some stage. So I think we've been over-reliant.

"We've missed him when he hasn't played because there haven't been too many players who have got themselves in that position, whereby they'll take those chances, you know, and hopefully that will change come next season."

As arguably United's greatest-ever strike partnership, Cole and Yorke are no strangers to pressure. Yorke says that the fact Rashford has taken the responsibility to score the goals for the Reds this term is "a credit to his mentality."

"I don't like that word pressure," he said. "It's not not the correct word in my opinion.

"I mean, there's responsibility, and he has taken up that responsibility to be the main goal-getter. And I think that's a credit to his mentality in terms of what he's come through.

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"You know, he had a tough period last season himself, and to find himself on top of that, I think he should embrace it and enjoy it a lot more, and realising that he has got all that talent and capabilities that we all expected of Rashford over the years.

"Now he's really reaping the reward and he just wants to carry on in that vein and take it to another step and, hopefully, he will do that."

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