Marcus Rashford Says He 'Hurts'; Manchester United Fans 'Deserve Better'

Marcus Rashford has said Manchester United's current form " hurts" him as a supporter, and fans "deserve better" after the Red Devils' poor start to the season.

United are 12th in the Premier League after eight games and have collected just two wins and nine points.

A 1-0 defeat at Newcastle United on Sunday further compounded the misery in Manchester, and Rashford shared his latest feelings on Twitter about the club's predicament.

Rashford's personal form has been poor, and the England international is struggling to make an impact as a No. 9. The sale of Romelu Lukaku has allowed the 21-year-old to lead the line and play through the middle. However, the Manchester-born talent has failed to inspire the attack.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer initially had a profound impact on results when he took interim control of the club 10 months ago, but an injury crisis after the opening 4-0 win against Chelsea has paralysed progress.

United have been forced to cope without Luke Shaw and Aaron Wan-Bissaka in defence, and Victor Lindelof was missing on Sunday with a knock. Paul Pogba and Jesse Lingard have also missed games because of injury, and Anthony Martial is recovering from a hamstring problem suffered in August.

After United's latest defeat, the Guardian's Jonathan Wilson wrote Rashford is "the biggest victim" of the team's slump in form and identity:

"Marcus Rashford, perhaps the only player in history on whom the England shirt weighs lighter than his club kit, mustered just 21 touches in the game, four fewer than Marcos Rojo, who only came on in the 59th minute. Juan Mata, the notional midfield creator, had two touches in the final third. The two wide forwards, Daniel James and Andreas Pereira, managed just five crosses between them; none found their target. United's past 23 games in all competitions have brought just 19 goals."

Jan Kruger/Getty Images

The Red Devils are only two points above the relegation zone, and the international break has come at a good time for Solskjaer, allowing the manager time to take stock and for injured stars to return to training.

At this early stage, United are also just five points behind Leicester City in fourth, and an upturn in results would quickly counter the current pain being felt.

United are back in Premier League action on October 20 against league leaders Liverpool, and the north-west derby is not usually dictated by the form book.

The UEFA Champions League holders have a perfect league record with eight wins, but their defence has shown vulnerability previously not witnessed last term.

The January transfer window will allow Solskjaer to bring in a new striker, but Rashford will be relied upon to get the goals United need for at least the next three months of the campaign. Martial will also be expected to contribute when he returns from injury, and the Red Devils need both players fit and firing as soon as possible.