Bharath Rammr
The Premier League has never had a shortage of great talent. Young players at the likes of Manchester United, Arsenal, and Tottenham are being renowned for their talent, although only a few manage to make it to the first-team on a regular basis. Marcus Rashford at Manchester United and Alex Iwobi at Arsenal are examples of the current generation doing well than expectations. However, who comes out supreme when it becomes a contest between the two?
Marcus Rashford’s rise in the United team can be likened to a fairy tale story. The 18-year-old was always recognised for his talent, but former boss Louis van Gaal put him in the team in order to tide over an injury crisis. Rashford did not take long to make an impression, as he was one of the surprises in the 2015-16 league campaign. He scored five goals and had two assists in just 862 minutes of action, not bad for a teenager.
Enjoying a similar rise up the ranks has been Alex Iwobi at Arsenal. The 20-year-old made his debut for Arsenal last season. Even though much of his 13 appearances were as a substitute, Iwobi made a mark by scoring two and setting up two. Here was another player starting to make his presence felt from an early age. Arsene Wenger will provide him the best platform to develop at this age. It is not surprising that he has been featuring more often this season.
Iwobi is yet to score this season, but he has three assists in close to 400 minutes of action across the Premier League and the Champions League. The fact that Arsene Wenger has been trusting him in the big Champions League games is a major boost compared to Rashford’s situation at United.
Rashford has already scored three goals in just four league appearances, but José Mourinho does not seem to be convinced in the striker just yet. The Portuguese has come out with all the right words about the England star, but Rashford has not been starting games as much as he would like. Compared with last season, Rashford is being more direct. His passing accuracy has improved from 77% last season to a very healthy 84% under Mourinho. However, his shot accuracy has dropped down to 50% from 89% last season.
Iwobi is now creating 50% less chances (12 down to 6), but he has been able to improve his shot accuracy and ability to win aerial battles – aspects very important for an attacking midfielder. He will get the first-team opportunities at Arsenal – unlike Rashford – if he performs well. Rashford may hit great heights as expected, but he will know that Jose Mourinho will always try to use experienced stars.
