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MAKING HIS MARC
Alan Shearer: Marcus Rashford has every attribute in locker to be Man Utd’s main man
Interim boss is using Rashford in his favoured central position - and look at the results it's bringing
MARCUS RASHFORD is flying right now because he has a manager with complete belief in him for the first time.
Nobody has ever doubted his ability but he has finally been set free under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer — and it is great to watch.
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Rashford is the main man at Manchester United now and has every attribute in his locker to thrive as a striker going forward.
His movement is excellent and constantly improving, he has the pace to terrify any defence and his finishing has come on leaps and bounds.
It was a world-class pass from Paul Pogba to set him up and the strike from Rashford shows just how confident he is right now.
He is showing a calmness in front of goal now which we have not seen before, but that comes with experience.
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As a young player it takes time to understand who you are and what you are all about. Sometimes it does just happen but sometimes you have to work at it.
It was the same for me as young player and it seems Rashford is getting there now.
We have all known for a while what a top player he has the potential to be, but it makes a huge difference as a youngster to have the absolute faith of your manager.
Solskjaer wants to play him as a centre-forward on a regular basis and that has been huge for him.
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Jose Mourinho played him in different positions but there is a top striker in him and we are only going to see more evidence of that going forward.
He was thrust into the Manchester United team at a very young age when there were a lot of injuries at the club.
It was like he was almost the last person to be called upon, which was unfair.
He started great but then went quiet — that can happen to young players.
I scored a hat-trick on my debut for Southampton so I know how hard it is to maintain those levels with the increased expectation that comes with it.
You have to keep going and keep persevering — something Rashford has clearly done over the last couple of years.
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At just 21 he now needs to ensure he avoids the temptations of life and the world outside of football to carry on improving.
It’s not that I am concerned he will fall for those trappings, but it can happen.
If all of that can be curbed then Manchester United and England have a top, top centre-forward on their hands for many a year.
Pogba was excellent again yesterday, with that pass the highlight of a superb performance.
Under Mourinho that goal might not have happened, with Pogba choosing to pass sideways or backwards instead . . . if he was even playing, of course.
But United are playing with so much more freedom now, always looking forward as a first thought.
The shackles have been taken off, the players are enjoying their football and they look a completely different team.
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The longer this run goes on, the more damning it is for Mourinho, who clearly did not get the best out of them.
Tottenham were by far the biggest test for Solskjaer so far — and he passed with flying colours.
Although they are now just six points off the top four, I do still have doubts over United closing that gap.
They kept a clean sheet but I have reservations about their back four, who were again indebted to keeper David de Gea.
But for all people go on about Mauricio Pochettino for United, if Solskjaer keeps this up and wins a trophy then you have to give him the job.
It was typical Tottenham on display, though. Just as against Wolves a few weeks back they lost as soon as they found themselves in the Prem race.
That is six league defeats now and they have no chance of the title.
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