He’s good, imagine Him in this Man city team,He could have been deadly’: Paul Scholes is really impressed with One Man United player performance today despite their loss
He’s good, imagine Him in this Man city team,He could have been deadly’: Paul Scholes is really impressed with One Man United player performance today despite their loss
Marcus Rashford has been hitting the headlines of late as many question his performances in Manchester United colours.
Amid all that noise, and leading up to his side’s derby showdown against Manchester City, he was quick to answer his critics in the media.
Now, many claim that they prefer Marcus Rashford to do his talking on the pitch, and you can bet your bottom dollar he did just that at the Etihad on Sunday, even if his team let him down by securing a 3-1 win.
With many expecting Pep Guardiola’s side to wipe the floor with their neighbours, the man tasked with playing down the middle by Erik ten Hag had other ideas as he hit a thunderbolt from distance to open the scoring after just eight minutes.
Paul Scholes lauded the Manchester United academy product for his efforts and called it ‘absolutely brilliant’, as he told Premier League Productions (03/03/24 at 4:25 pm).
During Paul Scholes’ peak years, strikes like that were bread and butter for him, so he would have been proud of that effort from his fellow Mancunian.
The only issue is that it all ended in the same old story, another defeat for the red half of Manchester against their rampant neighbours, with only Marcus Rashford coming out with any respect.
Marcus Rashford’s goal against Manchester City
“Absolutely brilliant,” said Scholes. “It’s very direct from the goalkeeper. I think Dias will be a little bit disappointed because he lets Fernandes get in there.
“But what a strike from Marcus Rashford. When it’s rolling back to him, it’s something where your eyes light up and you think ‘I am going to give it a real hit’, and he does. It’s always better when it goes in off the crossbar as well.”
Manchester United can say goodbye to Champions League football
What makes things even worse for ten Hag and his players is the fact that they have next to no chance of finishing in the top four now.
There are 11 points between Man United and fourth-placed Aston Villa, who won on Saturday, as well as fifth-placed Tottenham beating Crystal Palace.
Man United’s only hope is that fifth spot opens up for Champions League football, but even then, they are six points behind Spurs, who have played a game less.
It’s now a case of looking over your shoulder at the likes of West Ham United, Newcastle United, Brighton and Wolves, who make up the rest of the top ten.
