It was not long ago that Marcus Rashford was widely and affectionately seen as a national treasure of English football.
However, this week looks set to underscore his deteriorating condition for both club and country.
For Manchester United, it is the team’s biggest game of the season so far – an elimination match against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League last 16 on Tuesday.
Two days later, England named their squad for friendly matches against the Ivory Coast and Switzerland, the third-to-last selection by coach Gareth Southgate before choosing players to represent the country at the World Cup in Qatar. .
There is a chance that Rashford is not involved.
The 24-year-old forward has not played a minute for his country since missing a penalty in a shootout loss to Italy in the European Championship final in July.
And in the intervening eight months, Rashford has slowly moved down the line of attackers at United. To the extent that, a week earlier, he could not make the starting lineup in a derby match against Manchester City, while four forwards at the club – Cristiano Ronaldo, Edinson Cavani, Mason Greenwood and Anthony Martial – were unavailable for various reasons.
It has even gone so far as to suggest that Rashford, a local Manchester boy, may still leave his boyhood team. That possibility was raised by United manager Ralph Rangnick last week.
“Even if he and his agent or his family think at one stage of the summer that maybe moving to another club, he may do so,” Rangnik said, “but in the summer.”
Last season such a scenario seemed unimaginable. One of the regulars in United’s squad under then-coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, he was also the talk of Britain off the field, which has led to his campaigning from the government to U-turn twice on its social policy during the pandemic. was forced. weak children.
In November itself, he received an MBE or Member of the Order of the British Empire for his activism.
“He is not only a top footballer but also a wonderful human being,” Solskjaer said of Rashford. “Captains of the future, probably of England and Manchester United.”
Then the slide of his career has been very bad.
After being one of three players to miss a penalty – and later the victim of online racist abuse – on that fateful night against Italy at Wembley Stadium on July 11, Rashford had four months after shoulder surgery . He was playing through pain last season, when he made 64 appearances for club and country, increasing his chances of suffering burnout.
Since returning, he has scored five goals in all competitions, and only two since 30 October. Confidence is clearly an issue – the swagger of recent years is gone, as is the joy in his game – while more and more threats have emerged in his place in United’s forward line.
Rashford, now regarded as a wide forward, was overtaken by Greenwood early in the season. Greenwood is no longer available after a woman was arrested on suspicion of rape and assault.
In recent months, Jadon Sancho has finally settled at United following his $100 million off-season move from Borussia Dortmund and is one of the few players to truly prosper under Rangnik’s change of style and approach. He is followed by another young winger, Anthony Elanga, who has been the club’s successful star this season.
Rashford has started only three of United’s last 12 Premier League games, most recently in a 3-2 win over Tottenham on Saturday, when he was replaced by Elanga after 67 minutes.
The 19-year-old Swede also came in for Rashford in the first leg against Atletico, making an instant impact by scoring in the 1-1 draw.
Sancho and Elanga are showing more dynamism and energy than Rashford, while their work rate seems more suited to Rangnik’s pressure game. There is a high chance that he will start the second leg at Old Trafford.
Ragnick clearly sees something in Rashford – “he has an abundance of talent,” said the German coach, adding that “he’s got almost everything a modern striker needs” – but adds that it is no longer “for training sessions”. Changing the display regularly”. Play.”
At least for the time being, the spark has gone from a player who, in October, was urged by Solskjaer to “prioritize his football”, in light of all the remarkable challenges of playing for United and England. was to face. Kicked off the field.
Time will tell if this is only a minor blip in the career that promised so much. Either way, this week could be an important week for Rashford.
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