Rashford Scoops Under-18s Award

Marcus Rashford has been named Manchester United’s Under-18s Player of the Year by the club’s coaching staff after an incredible breakthrough season.

The 18-year-old striker began 2015/16 with the Academy and also featured in the Under-19s’ UEFA Youth League campaign, enjoying a hot streak of eight goals in six games in September.

A handful of outings for Warren Joyce’s Under-21s followed at the turn of the year, before Rashford was catapulted into the first-team spotlight when Anthony Martial was injured in the warm-up before February’s Europa League game against Midtjylland.

The Mancunian starlet grabbed his opportunity in style, scoring twice on his debut in the 5-1 win at Old Trafford, before adding two more in his next outing three days later, against Arsenal.

Winning goals against Manchester City and Aston Villa, plus a Goal of the Season contender in the Emirates FA Cup quarter-final replay win over West Ham United, have further boosted Rashford’s senior credentials, with Michael Carrick declaring the young striker is here to stay.

Rashford collected the Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year award at Old Trafford on Monday night. When interviewed on stage about his meteoric rise, he said: "It’s been a bit crazy really as everything happened at once, so it’s difficult to take in.

"That worked in my favour as I didn’t really have time to think about.

“It means a lot coming from Manchester. It’s what dreams are made of when you’re born here, it was everything I was looking forward to – I’m happy.

“It is important for me to thank all the coaching staff from the Under-18s - Colin Little, Nicky Butt and Paul McGuinness - and Warren Joyce [Under-21s]. They are the ones who have helped me to get to where I am so it’s important I thank them.”