Manchester United crush Forest: Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial thrive as post-Cristiano Ronaldo era begins

Manchester United rolled out of the World Cup break with a 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest. Substitute Fred scored the team’s third goal but it was United’s attack that ran rampant behind the goal-scoring duo of Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford. Those two ran the game, but they’ve had a long road to get there. With a depleted roster causing Erik Ten Hag to deputize Luke Shaw at center back, it was a day where reliability was needed from United’s attackers and they delivered. 

Growing in confidence by the day, Rashford is not only coming off of a World Cup where he scored three goals for England, but his chief competition at striker Cristiano Ronaldo also departed the club. Rashford showed that he could carry the load with a goal and an assist playing from the wing. His goal was a well worked set piece with an excellent finish but his assist to Martial displays what can make United so dangerous this season. 

After a direct run, Rashford played an excellent ball across the middle to the Frenchman and he finished the chance with confidence. Now one point off of the top four, United have an opportunity to keep the momentum going and get back into Champions League. 

Rewinding to life under Ralf Rangnick, United’s previous manager, Rashford was struggling to make an impact while Martial was on loan to Sevilla with one foot out of the door for United. Now, Rashford has been involved in more goals than during the entire 2021-22 season while Martial is involved in a goal every 61 minutes for the Red Devils. Martial, as has frequently been the case in his career, has struggled with injuries, logging fewer than 400 minutes for United. If he can stay healthy, ten Hag has a potent one-two punch to topple teams in his path. 

Ten Hag has brought a clean slate to the team since his appointment as players who were on the fringes of the side are becoming key contributors while forgotten youth players are getting chances to impress as well. It’s why even though they lost out on transfer target Cody Gakpo to Liverpool, United will have plenty of depth to compete this season.

Rashford’s growth on the pitch for United only helps the team move from a mercurial star to a marketable one as well. Rashford has been involved in the community, even pressuring the government to extend free school meals to children in England during holidays. Those efforts saw Rashford awarded an MBE from Prince William in November of 2021. 

While these aren’t requirements to being a leader and performing on the pitch, it does shine a positive light on a club that has needed one for a while. WIth the turmoil of shifting managers, Ronaldo, and a potential sale by the Glazer family, United needs all the good news that they can have and through Rashford they’re getting just that. 

An academy graduate, Rashford is well on his way to realizing his potential on the pitch and Ten Hag has cleared a path to give him an opportunity to show what he can do.