Rashford's Press Conference - 10 Key Lines

Marcus Rashford faced the media following Manchester United’s arrival in Houston, Texas, ahead of the derby meeting with Manchester City in the International Champions Cup.

The popular Academy graduate spoke eloquently and determinedly as he was asked about Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Wayne Rooney, new strike partner Romelu Lukaku, his aims for the season and more…

LEARNINGS FROM IBRAHIMOVIC
“There was a lot to learn from him, not only from the football side of things but his mentality and the way he trains, and prepares for games. They’re the main things I took. We have different playing styles so to take things from his game was difficult. I had to look outside of football so I tried to take things from his personality and what makes him great.”

ADVICE FROM ROONEY
“To be honest he just let me get on with things. If something was going a bit out of line he definitely would have stepped in, but I don’t think he needed to and he was always there to give me advice if I needed someone. Losing that type of character is difficult but it’s football and we have to move on.”

RESPONSIBILITY? BRING IT ON!
“I think the stats are the things I need to get up from last season but they’re not the things I was concentrating solely on last season. Season by season, I have different aims and responsibilities in the team, and I think this year hopefully I can take more responsibility on. That’s the aim this year.”

I HAVE MATURED
“I’d say maturity is a massive part in how you develop on the pitch. I think that’s been one of the main things for me. I’ve obviously matured a lot off the pitch and it does change your game on the pitch and that’s been the biggest difference [in the last 18 months]. You don’t change anything specific, you just naturally mature as a person and it changes what you do on the pitch. Growing up at United you’re always aware that what you do on the pitch has a big impact. You know that from a very young age and when you get into the first team that doesn’t change. I’ve just carried on doing the same things on and off the pitch as I’ve always done, nothing has changed in that respect.”

IT'S IMPORTANT TO RELAX
"At my age I’m still developing and still growing, and obviously last year we played a lot of games, I think almost 60. So you need time to shut down your muscles and your body and regroup. Now I’ve come back and I feel fresher than I did towards the end of season. I went on holiday and it was nice to get away from the environment you’re always in and relax the brain as well as the body.”

TWO UP FRONT IS AN OPTION
“I’ve only been playing up front for maybe two years and we’ve usually played with one striker up front in the Academy. So it’s different for me but it’s definitely beneficial. Once you get used to it you start to build relationships and connections and it’s a positive formation to play. I think different games require different tactics and having two up front gives the manager one extra thing he can use. It’s not only me and Romelu, we can play with Anthony and Romelu and others, we have a few different options we can play. This just widens our chances of glory next season.”

GELLING WITH NEW BOY LUKAKU
“He’s gone through a phase in his career now where he’s coming up to his prime years. He has been scoring a lot of goals for the last three or four years and he’s in a good place in his career, and has come here at the right time. I know I can learn a lot from him when we play together and it’s about forming that relationship off the pitch, and bringing it onto the pitch. We’re still getting to know each other off the pitch but that’s what a team is about – forming relationships.”

MORE GOALS THIS SEASON
“I experienced things last season that I hadn’t experienced the season before and it puts you in good stead for the future, and next season. There were times I didn’t score but how you recover and how you come out of that is what I was looking at. It wasn’t the be all and end all for me if I wasn’t scoring goals last season, but this season I’ve put more pressure on myself to do so.”

PRESSURE, WHAT PRESSURE?
“There is always pressure playing at United and you also put pressure on yourself. Year on year that will only increase and the responsibility that I put on myself is the thing that’s changed. I think the fans always expect the best from me.”

BRING ON THE DERBY
“It’s a different feeling, playing the derby in a different place. We’re so used to it being in Manchester, but at the same time it’s good to bring it elsewhere and let the fans see something they’re not used to. I know it’s classed as a friendly but when these two teams play they both want to win. It won’t be a friendly for us on the pitch. It’s a game the players are definitely looking forward to and I know the fans will be too.”