Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven has surprisingly named Marcus Rashford as the toughest opponent he has faced this season.
The summer signing from Wolfsburg has made an eye-catching start to his Premier League career and played a key role in Spurs’ rise to the summit.
Ange Postecoglou’s side remain unbeaten heading into Monday night’s London derby against Chelsea and the 22-year-old will be among one of the first names on the team sheet.
Few forwards have been able to trouble the Netherlands international but Van de Ven conceded Rashford provided a constant test of his defensive abilities.
Speaking to Sky Sports, he said: ‘To be honest the home game against United, Rashford for me he’s a top player
‘Of course Man United is not doing that well in the league, they have a tough period now.
‘But if you see the quality of Rashford and of course it’s really difficult to play in a team that’s not going really well.
‘But Rashford for me when I played against him, it’s like every second of of the game he can do this and make a goal.
‘Every time with the ball he’s so strong. For me he’s a top class player.’
United manager Erik Ten Hag, meanwhile, says it was ‘unacceptable’ of Rashford to go to a nightclub party after last weekend’s embarrassing derby defeat to Manchester City.
The homegrown talent has managed just one goal for the misfiring Red Devils during a poor start to the season on both an individual and collective level.
Rashford has looked a far cry from the player that plundered 30 goals for United last term and his off-field decision-making came into question after last Sunday’s 3-0 defeat to City.
Reports emerged the following day that the England international, who turned 26 on Tuesday, had gone to the Chinawhite nightclub for a pre-arranged birthday party hours after the Old Trafford loss.
‘Yes, I am aware of it,’ manager Ten Hag said of Rashford’s post-derby night out.
‘I spoke with him about it. It’s unacceptable, I told him, he apologised and that’s it. For the rest it’s an internal matter.’
