Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has vowed to help Marcus Rashford rediscover his best form, but stressed the player also has to “really, really want it”.
Rashford scored 30 times across all competitions during the 2022/23 season, having also reached the 20-goal milestone in both 2019/20 and 2020/21.
But 27-year-old has struggled to perform to those former levels over the past 18 months.
There has been hope that fresh energy and new ideas following Amorim’s appointment could be a catalyst, with Rashford even scoring inside the first two minutes of Sunday’s clash with Ipswich Town.
But United were unable to build on that early lead and ended up drawing 1-1.
For Rashford, who was operating in a central ‘number nine’ position – a role he has found it difficult to thrive in previously, it became a battle with the Ipswich defence that he didn’t win.
“I will try to help him,” Amorim said. “That position is not the best one for him, especially in a game like that”.
“We have to keep with high pressure, we have to kick the ball so many times and it was like fighting with two giant [Ipswich centre-backs].
“We’ll try to find the right solution for him, as for the other players. But it has to be Marcus, first of all, to try to return to that moment”.
“Then he will have the help of all the staff, the club and the fans because he’s a Manchester United boy. But he has to be the first one to really, really want it.”
Amorim has pushed back on calls from fans and the media for United to sign a new striker to address a lack of goals this season, insisting that there is already sufficient quality in the squad.
That ties into a recent report that the club are not looking to engage in any kind of major overhaul in order to break a cycle of expensive rebuilds, instead tasking Amorim with unlocking existing potential.
What we know
- Ruben Amorim has discussed Marcus Rashford’s struggle for form
- Man Utd forward has previously proven himself a top goalscorer
- New coach insists he will help but the player also has to ‘want it’.