Rashford Reflects On Reading Double

Marcus Rashford was delighted to be back among the goals as Manchester United defeated Reading 4-0 at Old Trafford to reach the fourth round of the FA Cup.   

Despite performing well and setting up his team-mates to score in recent weeks, the young striker had not netted himself since the Premier League win over Leicester on September 24.

But after starting as the main striker against the Royals, he was a constant threat and capped a fine display with a brace in the final 15 minutes of Saturday’s 4-0 victory.

Speaking to MUTV after the game, Rashford said: “It’s a good feeling to score again in front of our home supporters, so I think it’s a matter of just relaxing and keep doing what you’re doing.

“I think we had to work hard to get the result and winning games is usually like that – you have to earn the respect, the right to play and I think we’ve done that.”

The speedy England front-man has had to wait a while to experience the feeling of celebrating a goal and, after netting his fifth and sixth of the season, he admitted it had been on his mind.

Rashford added: “I think, halfway through the period of not scoring, it was a bit frustrating but, after I started to settle down again and getting some assists, and I was starting to play better football and now the goals have come so I’m just happy.”

The Reds also scored twice in the opening 15 minutes and took a firm foothold against Jaap Stam’s Championship side, as Wayne Rooney equalled Sir Bobby Charlton’s goal record for the club and Anthony Martial struck. And Rashford highlighted the significance of getting off to a good start.  
 
“I think it’s very important to get the early goal,” he said. “I think the fact that we got the goal early let’s the whole team settle down and relax a bit more because, we’ve seen in the past, teams from lower down beat teams from top-flight football on a regular basis so I think that early goal definitely settles everyone’s nerves and gets us going.”

After notching his 249th goal in a United shirt, Rooney is now just one away from becoming the club’s all-time scorer – a feat that fellow forward Rashford fully admires.

“It’s an unbelievable achievement,” he commented. “If you look back at all the games he’s played and all the goals he’s scored for the club, it’s amazing and, for young players coming up and any striker growing up, then it’s amazing for them to be able to watch him. We all have to take the moment once it’s goes in.”

The Reds are currently enjoying a brilliant run of form and the dominant victory over the Royals was an eighth in a row, setting Jose Mourinho’s men up nicely for Tuesday’s EFL Cup semi-final first leg against Hull City. Rashford agreed there is a feel-good factor running through the club at present.  

He said: “I think we’re also improving game by game as well so we’re getting to know each other more and more so, at the moment, it’s only looking positive and looking forward for everyone at the club.”