When Marcus Rashford was asked what the toughest away ground he had played at was a year ago he replied West Brom’s Hawthorns. Many Manchester United supporters would have expected him to say Anfield. Rashford had played just four career games before Louis van Gaal switched him to the right flank versus Liverpool, where he lasted 45 minutes on a night some United players questioned their teammates’ commitment in the 2-0 Europa League defeat.
Seven months later, Rashford’s impact at Liverpool was his early reducer on James Milner. United fans chirp that what they love most is ‘kicking a blue’, they ‘hate Leeds’ and regard anyone associated with Liverpool as a ‘Scouse *******’. Rashford left one on a former City player who was nurtured at Leeds and playing for Liverpool, so the night was somewhat salvaged. A year on from that evening where he had the ignominy of being replaced by Wayne Rooney, Rashford’s role is not as uncertain. Jose Mourinho actually started Rashford on the right again six days later for that chastening Chelsea defeat whereas now only someone as insular as Gareth Southgate would consider playing him in his weakest role. Should Rashford retain his United berth on Saturday it will be on the left and he justified his return against Crystal Palace amid a clamour for his competitor.
The pattern is against Rashford. Since United’s second Premier League game at Swansea, Mourinho’s left winger in the nine fixtures has read: Rashford, Anthony Martial, Rashford, Martial, Rashford, Martial, Rashford, Martial, Rashford. Martial does not need to refer to his 10 goals and assists to demand a recall from his manager. He is also fresher. Rashford had to endure weekdays at St George’s Park followed by the desultory Wembley atmosphere on England duty, with a trip to Eastern Europe to top it off. Rashford received treatment for a first-half injury in Lithuania, too.
Mourinho’s endless sound bites about ‘Fourth Player’ during his summer press conferences also provided ample motivation for Martial and Rashford. United have strengthened the left without signing Ivan Perisic and the duo, along with Romelu Lukaku, have 31 goals and assists between them already. Whomever starts on the bench in L4 should not be demoralised, either. Martial has increased United’s goal difference with his crowd pleasing cameos in four 4-0 wins and two of Rashford’s goals have come via the bench. Whether it is Joe Gomez or Trent Alexander-Arnold at right-back, they might struggle to venture beyond the halfway line. Mourinho punished Martial for failing to expose Alexander-Arnold on his first league start in January by dropping him from the next two squads and the memory of that setback could further galvanise the 21-year-old, who was pencilled into start at Liverpool a year ago before he suffered an injury two days before the fixture.
What also increases Martial’s chances of a start is the possibility – or probability – of a formation change. United have started in 4-2-3-1 in their six home matches but have played in 3-5-2, 4-3-3 and 3-4-3 away from home already.
