Rashford Aims To Be A Game-changer

Marcus Rashford says he has been honing his ability to change a game from the bench and terrorise defenders with his electrifying pace.

The young striker has already illustrated the impact he can have as a substitute this season, with a late winner against Hull City in August before setting up Juan Mata to break the deadlock against West Ham earlier this month and upsetting the 10-man Hammers.

Former United frontman Ole Gunnar Solskjaer used to study how a game was developing by attempting to identify any weaknesses in the opposition and how he could exploit them. Rashford said he is similarly always thinking about what difference he can make when watching on from the sidelines.

“It’s important you do that,” he told United Review, Sunday’s official match programme, ahead of the Emirates FA Cup visit of Wigan Athletic.

“You don’t know where the manager is going to bring you on, so you have to do that for all the positions really. Just so you’re ready and mentally prepared for when you get on the pitch.

“So it is something you do when you’re on the bench but I think that’s only natural, for a player to be thinking about getting on the pitch, what you’re going to do when you’re out there and who you are going to come up against.”

Jose Mourinho has talked on numerous occasions this season about the capabilities Rashford possesses to take advantage of tiring defenders in the latter stages of matches – something the 19-year-old feels he will gradually get better at.

“It’s just about building on it and being able to repeat the same movements for the 90 minutes,” he admitted. “I think it will come in time but I have to take it step by step. Sometimes, an approach can take time to perfect but it’s going well.

“It’s about almost singling out each player and each opponent you come up against so you know you can get a one against one. That’s when you know it is a good asset for me to use.”

Rashford will be hoping to add to the two goals he scored in the previous round against Reading when the Reds welcome Warren Joyce’s side to Old Trafford.