Marcus Rashford Is Ready to Lead the Manchester United Attack Next Season

Manchester United’s 2-1 triumph over Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final on Saturday had distinct echoes of their semi-final win over Everton the month before.

Then it was Anthony Martial who grasped victory with a late winner, while on Saturday it was Jesse Lingard who made himself the hero with another late goal, but on both occasions, the player that posed the biggest attacking threat was Marcus Rashford.

When Manchester United’s 2015-16 season is looked back upon, it will be remembered for their record-equalling 12th FA Cup win and the likely end of Louis van Gaal’s two-year tenure as manager, but above all it will be remembered for the emergence of Rashford.

At the FA Cup final on Saturday evening, United’s lineup was sprinkled with players who had cost tens of millions each and earned a pile of international caps, but once again the eye was drawn to the uncapped, youth-graduate Rashford.

The 18-year-old has increasingly become the man to make things happen in attack for United, whether they are goals or chances for his team-mates.

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The FA Cup final was the biggest game of Rashford’s career, and at a Wembley Stadium filled to capacity, it would have been the biggest crowd he had ever played in front of, and yet once again he performed with his usual supreme confidence.

During his 72 minutes on the pitch, Rashford was comfortably United’s most dangerous attacker and most likely source of a goal or an assist.

In the first half, he expertly span past Damien Delaney on the right wing before arriving in the penalty area, where he didn’t panic or rush a decision and pulled the ball across for Martial to hit a first-time shot that was stopped near the line.

Early in the second half, Rashford created another chance from nothing when his clever flick on the edge of the area allowed Marouane Fellaini an unexpected sight at goal, but the Belgian struck his shot against the crossbar.

Rashford is emerging as the complete striker, who offers presence and a goal threat when he plays down the middle but is equally effective when he drifts out wide, where he can run with the ball and bring others in to the game.

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England manager Roy Hodgson was naturally an interested observer of the game at Wembley and declared afterwards, via the BBC: “The Cup final shows my idea of selecting Rashford wasn’t a stupid idea.”

Hodgson should not be so painfully insecure; his inclusion of Rashford in his squad will not invite any ridicule, for his talent is so obvious and so pure.

Hodgson should certainly take Rashford to UEFA Euro 2016, but the bigger dilemma awaits whoever is in charge at Old Trafford next season, for they will need to quickly decide if United still need to invest in a new striker. 

Should they take the risk of bedding in a new player when they already have such an accomplished and confident striker in Rashford leading the line?

United have a long-standing interest in Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Kane, with links reported by David Hytner of the Guardian in August 2015, but in Rashford, could they already have their own Kane, and possibly an even better version?

The arrival of another striker might only serve to stifle Rashford’s talent at a time when he needs to be playing regularly to develop and improve.

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It is why United’s interest in Zlatan Ibrahimovic, as reported by Ralph Ellis of the Daily Mail, begins to make sense, for at 34, the Swede would be a short-term solution and could act as a role model to help bring Rashford on.

Ibrahimovic would arrive as a foil and friend rather than a rival.

While Rashford is still only be 18, he doesn’t play like that, and he is living proof that if you are good enough, you are old enough.

History is littered with examples of young players leading the line for their clubs, and some of the very best, including Marco van Basten, Michael Owen, Wayne Rooney and Raul, were all their club’s main striker at the tender age of 18.

The early signs are promising that in Rashford, United have a young striker that could be in the same elevated class as these strikers, but they will never know unless he continues to be given a place in the starting lineup.

Whether it is Louis van Gaal or Jose Mourinho occupying the manager’s office at Old Trafford, their boldest and bravest act of the summer could be resisting the urge to sign a new striker and instead trusting in young Rashford.