December 23, 2024
Marcus Rashford ‘must really want it’ to return to top form, says Ruben Amorim

Marcus Rashford ‘must really want it’ to return to top form, says Ruben Amorim

<span>Ruben Amorim has urged Marcus Rashford to “be Marcus” at Manchester United.</span><span>Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA</span>” src=”https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/wOJuJtvrGS9fM4gWy8EgKA–/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PT k2MDtoPTU3Ng–/https://media.zenfs.com/en/theguardian_763/e56a21ab4a172f2ff1d46492e9a07543″ data-src=”https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/wOJuJtvrGS9fM4gWy8EgKA–/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3P Tk2MDtoPTU3Ng–/https://media.zenfs.com/en/theguardian_763/e56a21ab4a172f2ff1d46492e9a07543″/><button class=

Ruben Amorim has urged Marcus Rashford “to be Marcus” at Manchester United.Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA

Ruben Amorim believes Marcus Rashford must “really want it” if the striker is to return to his 30-goal form at Manchester United two seasons ago.

Rashford scored two minutes into United’s 1-1 draw at Ipswich on Sunday, Amorim’s first game in charge, but it was only his fifth goal in 19 appearances. Last season, Rashford scored just eight goals in 43 games, after recording a career-high 30 in the previous campaign.

Amorim was asked what is needed to get Rashford back to his best. “He must be the first one to really want it,” said the head coach. “Then he will have the help of all the staff and the fans. He must be Marcus – he’s a Manchester United boy.

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Rashford played at number 9 in Amorim’s 3-4-3 at Ipswich, but has previously said he prefers to play on the left. “This position [against Ipswich] is not the best solution for him,” Amorim said. “Especially in a match like that, he was fighting with two giants [the centre-backs] and we will try to find the right solution for him.

Amorim said Bruno Fernandes, Rasmus Højlund, Joshua Zirkzee and Amad Diallo also needed to score more. United have just 13 league goals and 32 in 19 games in all competitions. Amorim said: “There is concern [about this] but we need to improve as a team, we have quality players who can score so many goals. You can feel in the second half that we controlled possession but were not dangerous.

“We will try to improve as a team, Rasmus and Rash and even Bruno to score more goals, Amad. All these guys need to improve, we can score so many goals. I don’t need new strikers to score, we can improve as a team.

Amorim was asked if he would ever move away from the 3-4-3 to, say, a back four. “We will – we must,” he said. “And when I talk about our structure, I think we can play in different systems. So we defend more in this game [Ipswich]sometimes in 4-4-2, because Amad [the right wing-back] was with [their] left rear. So we want to put the structure in place, and then we have to play in different systems. Nowadays, every team has a different dynamic. So we’re going to adapt that.

Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martínez are available after injury for the visit of Bodø/Glimt on Thursday for the fifth Europa League group match. United are 15th with six points.

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