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Joining Barcelona
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Marcus Rashford’s impending departure to Barcelona will provoke mixed emotions amongst Manchester United supporters. Few players have divided opinion more than Rashford in recent years but there will undeniably be an element of sadness upon him leaving his boyhood club. The writing has been on the wall for Rashford’s Old Trafford career since his public fallout with Ruben Amorim and its unquestionably best for all parties to part ways but it could have all been very different.
Very few players have burst onto the scene to the same extent as Rashford did back in February 2016. After being drafted into the starting eleven at the last minute, Rashford scored twice on his United debut against Midtjylland in the UEFA Europa League before backing that up with a brace on his Premier League debut against Arsenal three days later. The 27-year-old quickly became one of the most high-profile footballers in England with his incredible charity work further elevating his status. The Wythenshawe-born attacker joined his boyhood club at just seven years old but his United career now appears over 20 years later - how will he be remembered at Old Trafford?
Marcus Rashford’s Manchester United legacy
Manchester United pride themselves on developing academy graduates but Rashford’s legacy at Old Trafford has undeniably been diminished across recent years and he won’t be remembered as fondly as some United greats. Very few players to pull on the famous red jersey have faced the same level of scrutiny as Rashford and some of the criticism has gone beyond the pale. While some of the attacker’s off-field antics have deserved criticism, Rashford leaves United with 138 goals and 77 assists across 426 appearances in the famous red shirt with some unforgettable moments. His winning goal against Manchester City in the first derby, knocking PSG out of the Champions League with a dramatic penalty and he enjoyed an excellent record in the big games - Rashford had 38 goal involvements against the ‘big six’.
As the graphic above illustrates, Rashford’s goal tally for United ranks him 13th in the club’s all-time top scorers list. Wayne Rooney is United’s record goalscorer with 253 goals and the former England captain repeatedly expressed his hope that Rashford could eclipse his record as it looked feasible at one stage. But the fact that the academy graduate features on the list highlights his impact at the club, as does his record in European competitions.
Only four United players have scored more goals in Europe than Rashford - Rooney, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Ryan Giggs and Denis Law. It’s prestigious company for the impending Barcelona star to be associated with and further highlights why history will be kind on his achievements at United. Rashford scored 26 goals in 79 games in European competition with 12 goals in the Champions League and 14 in the Europa League
How Marcus Rashford’s appearances compares to Manchester United greats
Only 23 players have featured more than 400 times for Manchester United, including some legendary figures like George Best, Paul Scholes and Sir Bobby Charlton. Rashford’s 426 appearances ranks him 20th in the all-time list with Ryan Giggs’ record of 963 unlikely to ever be beaten. Interestingly, when you analyse just attacking players then Rashford ranks fifth behind Rooney, Best, Brian McLair and Mark Huges. United and Liverpool are widely regarded as the biggest two clubs in England with scrutiny highest on attacking players with pressure to deliver on a consistent basis. The fact that Rashford was relied upon so regularly by numerous managers highlights how entrusted he was and in indication of his undeniable ability.
When you look solely at Premier League appearances, Rashford ranks tenth amongst United players with no other current member of Amorim’s squad featuring in the top ten. His 87 goals in the Premier League also ranks him within the top ten of United scorers in the competition. Opinion is unquestionably split on Rashford’s legacy at Old Trafford but it’s difficult to argue against him being a club great. When assessing his legacy, it’s also imperative to remember that Rashford didn’t play for an overly successful United side and was often handed the responsibility of delivering the pivotal moments in a poor side. A boyhood fan progressing through the academy to become the leading figure at one of the biggest clubs in the world.
