Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag hails ‘unbelievable focus’ of red-hot Marcus Rashford

Erik ten Hag praised Marcus Rashford’s “unbelievable focus” as the forward continues his freescoring form.

The 25-year-old striker has bounced back from his most challenging campaign to date in stirring fashion and has established himself as one of the continent’s in-form players.

Rashford’s rejuvenated form with United earned an England recall and he scored 12 goals in 14 appearances since the World Cup – the most of any player across Europe’s top five leagues in that period.

“Unbelievable focus in this moment,” United boss Ten Hag said. “He’s aware of it.

“If he is making the right movements that he or his team will bring him in the right position to score goals and then it’s about the score goals.

“In this moment he’s in such a flow. He brings it every game on the pitch.

“So, if he has that energy, those levels, he will score goals and the only thing what the team has to do is get him in that position.”

Ten Hag recently said he is “not Harry Potter” as the Red Devils boss explained Rashford’s rejuvenation was not solely down to managerial wizardry, but the Dutchman’s impact on United is clear.

The former Ajax manager has righted the ship after a wretched 2021/22 campaign for the club, who are the only English team still fighting on four fronts.

A shot at Carabao Cup glory against Newcastle awaits at the end of a frantic February, which continues with a tough trip to Elland Road on Sunday having drawn 2-2 at home to rivals Leeds on Wednesday.

“I feel really connected with this team, with this squad, so we are United,” Ten Hag told Sky Sports.

“Also with the culture of Man United. I feel really connected with that.

“I see the team is growing, I see it is about the culture of hard to beat, win games, do it in the United way and togetherness, and do it in an attacking and proactive way.

“You need players who are taking responsibility, you need the right characters in the dressing room so in the moment they go onto the pitch they know what’s going on and they take the right choices, the right decisions. You have to rely on your players in such moments.

“Most times we can do and players like it, to play games like Leeds, like big games coming up like Barcelona. The other games like City, Arsenal.

“But I think all the Premier League games, players like to have a challenge because when they get challenged they get the best.”

Casemiro misses the trip to Leeds through suspension, while Antony, Anthony Martial and Scott McTominay are expected to be sidelined again.

Christian Eriksen and Donny van de Beek are long-term absentees, but Aaron Wan-Bissaka is in line to return from illness.

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