Marcus Rashford has had a tough time of it on the football pitch lately.

Before scoring against Southampton on September 14, he had gone 13 games without a goal. His performances had brought about criticism from all corners, also leading him to miss out on the England squad for the 2024 European Championships.

However, Erik ten Hag and Manchester United have stuck by their striker, and their faith appears to have started to be rewarded. Rashford netted twice against Barnsley in the Carabao Cup, as they romped to a 7-0 victory in a tournament which they have been one of the main favorites to win.

Of course, the Red Devils will always be there or there about in the odds. Ten Hag’s side have been pretty good in cup football in recent years, winning the EFL Cup and the FA Cup in the Dutchman’s two seasons. Those who play at the best online casinos or use a sportsbook would be pleased if they had the same success rate, despite the criticism the manager continually gets.

Will Marcus Rashford continue to perform for United?

The goals will have been a huge weight off Rashford’s shoulders. There will be many who will be looking at the striker to kick on, and it will be interesting to see whether he does or not.

The three goals he has scored will have given him some much-needed confidence, which he will look to channel into his play. He – and United – will be hoping that it will be the beginning of something special, such as his first season under the Dutch manager. In that campaign, he netted 30 goals across all competitions, a personal best for the forward.

Last season, his form dropped off massively. He managed just eight goals in a campaign that saw him struggle on and off the pitch. He had lost his place in the England side and struggled with disciplinary issues.

Ten Hag has revealed that Rashford appears to be on the right track, working on himself and his lifestyle. He believes this could be what the player needed to do to get back to his best.

Are there still problems for Rashford at United?

There does still seem to be some concerns around him, though. He was ‘dropped’ against Crystal Palace in their most recent fixture; a disappointing 0-0 draw. This had led to speculation that there had been a falling out between the player and manager, something the latter denied and hit out at pundits for suggesting.

He called it “crazy” and highlighted that it was part of a pre-match decision to opt for rotation, especially as the games are starting to come extremely quickly. With a Europa League match against FC Twente on the horizon kicking off the new continental campaign, it’s entirely possible to think Ten Hag has an eye on that game for Rashford.

It is up to Rashford to show his best

For all footballers, the best place to do their talking is on the pitch and with their feet. Rashford has had a promising start to the season, but some will be critical of the goals he has scored because of the level of opposition they have come against.

For instance, many would have criticised him for his performance against Liverpool in the 3-0 defeat. However, it’s also very easy to point the finger at almost everyone who played in that game for the poor display.

When given the opportunity to play, Rashford will need to take them with both hands. He has created a solid platform for himself, and with games coming very quickly, there is every chance he can start finding the back of the net with more frequency than he did last season.