With a hat trick, Rashford delivering on and off the field

Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford walks end of the Champions League group H soccer match between Manchester United and RB Leipzig, at the Old Trafford stadium in Manchester, England, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2020.

Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford, right, celebrates with Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes after scoring his side’s second goal during the Champions League group H soccer match between Manchester United and RB Leipzig, at the Old Trafford stadium in Manchester, England, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2020.

Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford, left, scores his side’s second goal during the Champions League group H soccer match between Manchester United and RB Leipzig, at the Old Trafford stadium in Manchester, England, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2020.

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Widely praised for his campaigning against child poverty during the pandemic, Manchester United star Marcus Rashford made just as explosive an impact in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Rashford came off the bench to score an 18-minute hat trick in United’s 5-0 thrashing of Leipzig, handing the German league leaders — and Champions League semifinalists last season — the heaviest defeat in their 11-year history.

The England striker even passed up the opportunity to take a penalty, when he was on two goals for the night, to allow Anthony Martial the opportunity to score his first goal of the season.

Rashford’s third goal — completing his first hat trick for United — came along minutes later, anyway, with Martial setting him up to return the favor.

At the moment, Rashford can do little wrong, on and off the field.

Based on his experiences as a child growing up in the Manchester area, Rashford has been the inspiration behind a grassroots effort by restaurants, cafes and even some local governments across England to feed students during the current school break.

In June, Rashford successfully lobbied British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government to extend free school meals through the summer, something which proved a massive help to those families particularly affected by the coronavirus pandemic.