Both Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford have had to make do with smaller roles this season for Manchester United.
Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney
Wayne Rooney’s official statement, in which he clarified his intention to stay at Manchester United for the foreseeable future, may come as a relief to Jose Mourinho – but for Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford, it could be an altogether bleaker prospect.
While he has struggled for form and fitness over the course of the season, Mourinho has endeavoured to play England’s record goalscorer whenever possible; Rooney has made 17 league appearances for United, scoring just 2 goals in the process.
Meanwhile, Martial and Rashford, who both burst onto the scene with strong and promising performances in the 2015/16 season, have made 14 and 20 appearances respectably. However, both have regularly had to make do with being pushed out wide, and have failed to recapture their scoring form from last season, despite United’s strong recent performances.
With Zlatan Ibrahimovic showing no signs of retiring, and United’s rumoured pursuit of Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann, as mentioned by sources such as the Telegraph, it remains to be seen whether Martial and Rashford get the chance to shine in their true position.
Rooney’s continued presence doesn’t necessarily spell the end for the two, but it represents a bigger challenge for both to stake their claim as the number one striker in the club, especially if the Old Trafford outfit have both Zlatan and Griezmann going into next season.
Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford in action with St Etienne’s Kevin Malcuit
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