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Marcus Rashford has attributed his devastating goal scoring form to mentality and getting into the right goal areas where his teammates can find him.
Rashford spoke to The Manchester Evening News where he discussed a number of topics, including his rich streak of form, his previous shoulder injury and the upcoming Carabao Cup final against Newcastle United.
The Englishman told The MEN: “Football is probably 95 per cent to do with your mentality. For me, that’s it, that gives you the foundation to go and act. Without that side, you’re just playing with the ability.”
“At the highest level, it is not enough to win constantly. So there are a lot of players who have skill, that’s why they play at the highest level. But what differentiates them is the mentality. I’ve been on both sides of it. I understand his strength and his value.”
The Englishman said that for the moment, his main goal is to stay in his current state of mind, which will help him become a more devastating and trophy-winning player.
He added: “I’m just in the areas to score goals more consistently. It’s something I’ve been working on, but in recent years I feel like even the seasons where I’ve done well I feel like I could have scored another 10 or 15 goals if I’d been more consistent in the areas.”
The 25-year-old credited Erik ten Hag’s coaching staff for assisting his incredible improvement. Rashford said he is regularly told by backroom staff to keep going even if the ball doesn’t come.
“Just having constant reminders and things like that, I feel like I’m now drifting in those positions and it’s great to be able to do that.”
Rashford named Benni McCarthy as someone who has had a massive impact in turning his career around.
The United number 10 was questioned about the difficult 18 months he endured with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick and, in particular, the shoulder injury that subsequently sidelined him for an extended period.
According to Rashford, no one other than the people at the club knew the extent of the injury. The player revealed that he had been dealing with the physical setback for a long time, beyond one season.
However, the United academy graduate said his love of being on the pitch meant he was willing to sacrifice himself and make himself available to the manager.
“If I get injured, I’m not happy. I’m dealing with pain and I’m not happy. So I would rather try to deal with the pain as long as I can perform and continue to help the team, I would always choose to do that.”
Rashford told his interviewers last season’s surgery was long overdue and it was the right decision to go ahead.
On his disastrous run last season in which the United man scored just five goals, he said: “I can’t get him back, but one thing I can do is learn from him and try to do everything I can to make sure he doesn’t make”. not happen again.
For what his words are worth, Rashford has learned well and truly and is now thriving with Erik ten Hag. He has scored 24 goals in 37 games for United this season.
The possibility of winning a trophy is on the horizon. United will face Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup final today.
Rashford reiterated his belief that winning the Carabao Cup could be the catalyst for sustained success at Old Trafford.
The striker acknowledges that winning the cup was one of the team’s objectives when the season began.
Looking ahead to the match, Rashford commented: “Yes, it’s a final. Yes, you may have to approach it a little differently. But the final objective is the same as at the beginning of the season and it is to try to win the game”.
“I’ve said before that when we’ve done well in tournaments or an individual does well in a tournament and you don’t win it, it’s all for naught. We want the performances we’ve had in the tournament so far to count for something and represent something and the only way to do that is to go on and win the trophy.”
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