'He's not in the form': Erik Ten Hag spurs Rashford to seize starting role at Manchester United

Manchester United will be seen in action against Bournemouth in a Premier League fixture on Saturday at Old Trafford. The Erik ten Hag-managed team currently stands on the 6th position but is only 9 points away from the top spot, which is held by Arsenal. They will be looking to close the gap in this weekend’s fixture. 

3 things you need to know 

• Manchester United vs Bournemouth will be played today 
• Manchester United is 6th on the Premier League with 27 points 
• Marcus Rashford did not start for Manchester United in the last league match 

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Erik ten Hag made a huge statement about Rashford’s place in the first XI

After a difficult season, Marcus Rashford needs to recover his form and restore his spot in the starting lineup, according to Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag, who made a noteworthy statement on the forward's role in the starting lineup.

Rashford's performance has significantly declined in the 2023–24 season, despite his obvious talent and past achievements. Rashford's goal-scoring ability has decreased from the previous season, when he scored 30 goals in all competitions, to just three goals this season—two in the Premier League against Arsenal and Everton for Manchester United and one for England.

The difficulties go beyond scoring goals; they also include a diminished ability to contribute to the team's overall performance. It's clear that Rashford can no longer create scoring opportunities for teammates or himself. His defensive effort rate has also drawn criticism, with issues about insufficient defense-supporting tracking back brought up, especially against more formidable opponents.

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Notably, Rashford was left out of the starting eleven for the match against Chelsea and only made an appearance as a substitute towards the end. His'shocking' body language on the pitch has drawn criticism and praise from both groups, with some citing it as evidence of a perceived lack of effort.

But prior to the Bournemouth match, Ten Hag expressed his respect for Rashford, calling him a tremendously gifted athlete. The Dutch tactician highlighted that it is Rashford's responsibility to ensure his spot in the starting lineup while expressing faith in the forward's ability to find his form again. Speaking to the reporters , as quoted by Reuters, Ten Hag said: 

"Rashford is an incredibly good player. You can't do it with 11 players and he can't play every game. He's not in the form he was last year but I'm sure he will get there," he said.

“It's up to the players (to get back into the team). The team will line themselves up and the best players who form the best team will play.”