EPL

Rashford backed to become one of world's best players by England team-mate Maguire

By Sports Desk December 03, 2022

Marcus Rashford can become one of the world's best players after carrying his Manchester United form onto the international stage at the World Cup, according to Harry Maguire.

Rashford lost his place in Gareth Southgate's England squad earlier this year after enduring a miserable 2021-22 campaign, making just 13 Premier League starts for United and scoring four goals.

However, Rashford has been rejuvenated since Erik ten Hag took charge at Old Trafford, finding the net eight times in all competitions this term to force his way into the Three Lions' squad.

Rashford scored twice on his first start at the World Cup as England thrashed Wales last time out, moving level with the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Alvaro Morata at the top of the tournament's goalscoring charts, and Maguire believes he has the talent to reach the very top of the game.

Asked about his England and United team-mate by talkSPORT, Maguire said: "I'm really pleased for Marcus.

"I don't think he'll ever reach what his talent can get to, because he's so talented that he could be one of the best in the world, and I think he's got to push and strive for that. 

"Over the last year or so it's just not been Marcus at Manchester United. We had a difficult year as a group and it affects people as individuals. 

"This year, he is playing with a lot more freedom and he's playing with a big smile on his face. We speak about him getting back to his best and I'm sure he will do."

Should Rashford score in England's last-16 tie against Senegal on Sunday, he will become the first United player to score four goals at a single major tournament for the Three Lions.

If he starts, the Red Devils attacker will fancy his chances of doing so against a Senegal side that has gone 10 World Cup games without a clean sheet, last recording a shutout at the tournament on their 2002 debut in a famous 1-0 win over France.

Related items

  • Mourinho questions Turkey move and slams 'Man of the Match' VAR after Fenerbahce win Mourinho questions Turkey move and slams 'Man of the Match' VAR after Fenerbahce win

    Jose Mourinho questioned why he had moved to Turkey and described VAR Atilla Karaoglan as the "Man of the Match" after Fenerbahce's dramatic win over Trabzonspor.

    Sofyan Amrabat scored a 102nd-minute winner as the Istanbul giants sealed a dramatic 3-2 victory to remain within five points of Turkish Super Lig leaders Galatasaray.

    Despite the result, Mourinho was enraged by Trabzonspor receiving two penalties following VAR reviews, also claiming his team should have had a spot-kick of their own ahead of Amrabat's winner.

    "I blame the Fenerbahce people that brought me here," Mourinho said after the game. "They told me only half of the truth.

    "They didn't tell me the whole truth because if they told me the whole truth, I wouldn't come. But with half of the truth and my boys, we fight opponents and the system."

    Mourinho then took aim at Karaoglan and suggested Fenerbahce did not want him to officiate their future games. 

    "The man of the match was Atilla Karaoglan," he added. "We didn't see him, but he was the referee. 

    "The referee was just a little boy that was there on the pitch, but the referee was Atilla Karaoglan. He goes from the invisible man to the most important man in the match.

    "I think I am speaking on behalf of every Fenerbahce fan – we don't want him again. We don't want him as a VAR. We don't want him on the pitch but, on the VAR, even less.

    "He was alert to give the two penalty decisions which the referee didn't give and then he was having Turkish tea when it was a clear penalty for us and he didn't give it."

  • Inzaghi urges Nerazzurri improvements ahead of Arsenal, Napoli clashes Inzaghi urges Nerazzurri improvements ahead of Arsenal, Napoli clashes

    Inter coach Simone Inzaghi acknowledged his side need to be more ruthless in front of goal following their Serie A win over Venezia, with matches against Arsenal and Napoli coming up.

    Lautaro Martinez's first home goal in league action since February handed the Nerazzurri a hard-fought 1-0 win at San Siro, though they missed several chances to make their victory more comfortable.

    Inzaghi's team racked up 20 shots worth 2.41 expected goals (xG) to Venezia's seven attempts and 1.07 xG during Sunday's game.

    They have now scored in each of their 28 league games at San Siro after failing to net in three in a row between March and April 2023, but Inzaghi knows they must take their chances when they face Arsenal and Napoli this week.

    "We should’ve been more clinical, but to be honest, I congratulated the team because the first half was excellent even if we wasted big opportunities," he told DAZN.

    "Once we broke the deadlock, the big regret is that we didn’t kill off the game and when it is in the balance, anything can still happen."

    Arsenal visit San Siro in the Champions League on Wednesday, before Napoli – who are currently one point clear at the top of Serie A – make the trip on Sunday.

    "In two days we are up against one of the best teams in Europe with huge quality, so clearly my focus right now is on Arsenal," Inzaghi said.

    The 48-year-old expressed concern about the challenging schedule ahead but felt relieved after seeing key players return.

    "This is our fifth game in two weeks, there are another two to come against Arsenal and Napoli, but we’ve got Hakan Calhanoglu back and Francesco Acerbi will be available on Wednesday too," he said.

    "Carlos Augusto is the only one still out and as a coach I will need everyone." 

  • Columbus Crew crash out of MLS Cup Playoffs with shoot-out loss to Red Bulls Columbus Crew crash out of MLS Cup Playoffs with shoot-out loss to Red Bulls

    The Columbus Crew's MLS Cup title defence came crashing to a halt as they were eliminated from the playoffs following a penalty shoot-out defeat to the New York Red Bulls.

    Following a surprise home defeat in Game 1, Wilfried Nancy's champions needed a road win in Game 2 to keep their season alive, but Yevhen Cheberko, Max Arfsten and Alexandru Matan all saw their spot-kicks repelled by Carlos Coronel following a pulsating 2-2 draw.

    Arfsten had earlier given Columbus a 55th-minute lead moments after stepping off the bench, only for Dante Vanzeir to drill home a swift equaliser.

    New York looked set to advance when Emil Forsberg's 80th-minute penalty completed the turnaround, but another Crew substitute, Christian Ramirez, headed home six minutes into second-half stoppage time to force the shoot-out.

    Columbus couldn't keep up their momentum from 12 yards, though, with Colonel's three saves proving vital as New York won it at the second time of asking, Daniel Edelman scoring the decisive kick after Sean Nealis had failed to do so.

    Elsewhere, the Seattle Sounders also needed penalties to dump the Houston Dynamo out in round one, prevailing from the spot for the second game in a row.

    Seattle's Cristian Roldan scored at both ends, slotting home an 87th-minute opener only to put through his own net three minutes into stoppage time, turning in Griffin Dorsey's cross.

    The first 13 penalties in the shoot-out were all scored, but Tate Schmitt was the unfortunate man to see his spot-kick saved, Seattle goalkeeper Stefan Frei pushing it away to send his team to the Western Conference semifinals.

    Finally, Ryan Gauld scored and forced two own goals as the Vancouver Whitecaps kept their best-of-three series against Los Angeles FC alive with a 3-0 triumph at BC Place.

    The Scotland midfielder powered home after 10 minutes and, just 180 seconds later, saw his long-range effort deflected past Hugo Lloris by the unwitting Ryan Hollingshead.

    Denis Bouanga twice went close for the Western Conference's top seeds after the break before Gauld was involved again in Vancouver's third goal, seeing a cross go in off the heel of Eddie Segura.

    The teams will now reconvene for a third match next week, with the victors set to face Seattle in the next round.

     

© 2024 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.