Mike Phelan says Marcus Rashford has ‘stood still’, he needs to ‘improve’ | OneFootball

Former Manchester United coach Mike Phelan has given strong advice to Marcus Rashford following his disappointing season.

Rashford had a brilliant 2022/23 campaign under manager Erik ten Hag, bagging 30 goals and ten assists in 56 outings.

However, his performance levels dipped last term. The Englishman tallies only eight goals and five assists from 43 appearances.

Speaking on talkSPORT, Phelan said the forward must improve next season.

He said: “Translating (your performances) from the training ground to the pitch has been difficult for Marcus.

“He had a great season. (He went from being) one of the best forwards in Europe to actually not finding his feet. It’s like, what’s gone wrong?”

“A lot of things have probably crept into Marcus’ thinking. He is certainly a talented individual who needs to improve.

“You never stand still, and I think he has stood still and relied on certain strengths he’s got. He needs to find more.”

Rashford needs to step up for United next season

The 26-year-old had a tough 2021/22 season at United, with Rashford making only seven goal contributions. He answered his critics with 40 goal involvements the following season.

Rashford has experienced another blip in his career and needs to step up next term. He is more than capable of doing so, but he needs to find ways to improve his game.

His playing style is predictable with his knack for cutting inside from the left flank. He has been less effective against opposition with low blocks.

He must work on this during the summer. Rashford is fantastic on the counter-attack, but he also needs to make goal contributions from tight spaces.

The £51 million-rated star was recently excluded from England’s provisional squad for the 2024 European Championship.

It could be a good thing to clear up his thoughts ahead of pre-season.

Stats from Transfermarkt.com.