A selection of Manchester United supporters were left tearing into the performance of striker Marcus Rashford on Twitter after his display against Leicester City on the opening day of the Premier League season.
The Red Devils made the perfect start at Old Trafford, midfielder and captain for the match Paul Pogba netting from the penalty spot in the opening minutes after a handball in the box from the Foxes, Luke Shaw and Jamie Vardy netting late on to give United a 2-1 win.
Jose Mourinho chose to start Rashford up front ahead of Romelu Lukaku, both having been on international duty with their respective countries at the World Cup, but the young English speedster failed to impress the Old Trafford faithful on social media.
This is Futbol has rounded up a selection of the supporters’ best tweets:
#MUFC playing with 10 men . #Rashford is not good enough yet to start in the middle . The kid is a wide forward not a CF
— Nick Jansen (@Nickloves1967) August 10, 2018
https://twitter.com/Professor_DB7/status/1028007082753183746
https://twitter.com/_Marlon___/status/1028007068790398976
https://twitter.com/MUFCmutant/status/1028007058321362945
Rashford has a lot of learning to do as a lone striker. He needs to stick to the left or right for now, much more effective.
— Leonida (@RajannMx) August 10, 2018
What I've learnt from the first half: Rashford not enough of a presence to play striker. Mata pretty useless for the style of play Mourinho wants. Perreira is class but him and fred are not solid as a holding midfield partnership and Matic is vital.
— finished (@simplyunitxd) August 10, 2018
I'm a bit disappointed with Rashford. De Gea is class. Madrid signing Courtois is just amazing. 6 year deal
— Stuart Davies (@studavies1982) August 10, 2018
Rashford and to an extent Sanchez have been dreadful so far, Fred has been hit and miss, but I am confident about him, how is Darmian still at the club lmao. Pogba, Pereira, Bailly and Lindelof have been great and not to mention Dave Saves! #GGMU
— BrunoMagnifico (@Tonicoolguy) August 10, 2018
https://twitter.com/MohammadHuzaif5/status/1028006920744050688
Poor Rashford getting bossed out there
— James (@jamesboz23) August 10, 2018
Opinion
The fans’ reactions on Friday night might seem harsh considering it is the first day of the new season but quite frankly they are right about how ineffectual Rashford was against the Foxes. Be it nerves, a lack of service or the fact he was coming up against new England favourite Harry Maguire in the Leicester defence, he was a shadow of the electric young attacker that Old Trafford have become accustomed to seeing. Perhaps Mourinho needs to think about using him in a wide position instead of down the middle, for when he comes up against powerful centre backs he is bullied off the ball, and the passes being delivered from his team mates do not allow him to exploit his pace, putting the ball at his feet rather than behind the back line. Things might change as the weeks go on, but this was not the sort of performance he, or anyone wearing red in Old Trafford, would have wanted to see.