Rasford Up For Top Accolade

Marcus Rashford has been nominated for the Professional Footballers' Association Young Player of the Year award for the second successive season.

The forward’s inclusion on the shortlist is a reflection of his outstanding progress at Manchester United throughout the 2018/19 season.

The England international has arguably enjoyed his best campaign to date, in his first wearing the famous no.10 shirt that he was handed last summer.

So far, Marcus has reached double figures in a Premier League season for the first time, despite suffering injuries which have kept him on the sidelines for periods. His nerveless penalty against Paris Saint-Germain – his first senior penalty for the club – that dramatically sealed United's place in the Champions League quarter-finals was another obvious highlight.

It’s been a landmark few months for Rashford, who turned 21 in October and reached 150 appearances for the Reds in January’s home win over Brighton, a game in which he scored to mark the milestone.

In January, he was voted both United’s and the Premier League’s Player of the Month for January. Meanwhile, his sublime strike against Tottenham in our 1-0 win at Wembley during that month was voted our Goal of the Month by fans.

During the season, he’s also netted in four successive league games for the first time in his career. Incidentally, Marcus needs just one goal and one assist to set his personal best tally for each in a single season for the Reds.

It's the second successive year that Rashford has been shortlisted for this award, which was eventually won by Manchester City's Leroy Sane last term.

Everyone at the club would like to congratulate Marcus on his nomination.

RASHFORD'S RECORD FOR UNITED

2018/19: 42 appearances, 13 goals, 9 assists
2017/18: 52 appearances, 13 goals, 9 assists
2016/17: 53 appearances, 11 goals, 6 assists
2015/16: 18 appearances, 8 goals, 2 assists
Stats in all competitions

WHAT IS THE AWARD?

The PFA Young Player of the Year is an annual award given to a player aged 23 or under at the start of the season who is adjudged to have been the best of the season in English football. The award was first handed out in the 1973/94 season.

HAVE OTHER UNITED PLAYERS WON IT BEFORE?

Well, the Reds have had more winners than any other club, with the award having been claimed by six different Reds on eight previous occasions. Mark Hughes was the first United star to win it back in 1984/85. There was a United stranglehold on the prize between 1991 and 1993 as it was given to Lee Sharpe and then twice to Ryan Giggs in consecutive seasons. David Beckham won it in 1996/97 before Wayne Rooney scooped it in 2004/05 and 2005/06. Cristiano Ronaldo followed in 2006/07, and is the last Red to pick up the accolade.

WHO DECIDES WHO WINS?

As it is a Professional Footballers’ Association award, the winner is chosen by fellow professionals – in particular PFA members – who take a vote. Therefore, it is seen as a prestigious prize by the players.

WHEN DO WE FIND OUT IF HE’S WON?

Marcus will discover if he is a winner at a gala event in London, at the Grosvenor Hotel on Sunday 28 April. The 2019 PFA Awards will take place just a few hours after the Reds face Chelsea in the Premier League at Old Trafford.

WHO ELSE HAS BEEN NOMINATED?

Rashford is included in a six-man shortlist alongside Raheem Sterling and Bernardo Silva of Manchester City, West Ham United's Declan Rice, Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold and Bournemouth midfielder David Brooks.