Jose Mourinho surprised everyone last Sunday by favouring Marcus Rashford over Zlatan Ibrahimovic for their titanic clash with Chelsea.
It proved to be a masterstroke with the Wythenshawe-native spearheading a dynamic Manchester United attack and netted after just seven minutes. The 19-year-old latched onto a gorgeous through-ball from Ander Herrera before lifting it over Asmir Begovic’s trailing foot. His movement continued to terrorise an unusually shaky Chelsea backline with his movement. Alongside fellow Mancunian Jesse Lingard, he made the Blues look like a shadow of the side that swatted everyone side in the winter months.
His performance left many questioning the influence of the immobile Ibrahimovic despite his impressive goal tally.
Asked on BT Sport about which of the two he’d pick, Paul Scholes was unequivocal.
“It has to be Rashford.”
Since retiring (the second time) Scholes has quickly become one of the most outspoken critics of United.
Zlatan was restored to the starting lineup for the second leg of the Anderlecht clash but it was his prodigy that made the first goal. Rashford set up Henrik Mkhitaryan early, who fired home from the edge of the box to give United a surely unassailable advantage in the tie.
Rory Murphy, Pundit Arena