Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer tells Marcus Rashford to 'prioritise his football' after surgery
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Updated 16/10/2021 at 12:03 GMT
Marcus Rashford has been urged to focus on football ahead of his potential return to action at Leicester City on Saturday. United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer believes the 23-year-old needs to "prioritise his football" as he bids to regain his place for club and country. "He’s got a challenge on his hands here at Manchester United — and has a challenge on his hands to play for England," he said.
Sir Alex and tearful mum see Rashford receive honorary degree
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has urged Marcus Rashford to “prioritise his football” as the forward attempts to win his Manchester United and England place back following shoulder surgery.
Rashford is in line to make his first appearance of the season when United take on Leicester City at the King Power Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The 23-year-old has forced two government U-turns through his campaigning on free school meals and child poverty.
United boss Solskjaer did not suggest Rashford’s form has suffered due to his activism but he does believe the forward needs to focus ahead of a potentially defining period.
“I know that we will see the best of Marcus in the years to come,” Solskjaer said. “He has done remarkable things at a young age but he is now coming into the best age for a footballer and he is more experienced.
"He has [had] time to reflect. You know what he has done off the pitch as well, because he has done some fantastic things, and now to prioritise, maybe prioritise his football and focus on football because he’s got a challenge on his hands here at Manchester United, he has a challenge on his hands to play for England.
“I think Marcus is one of those who takes up those challenges and is going to. He is going to express himself and his talent and he knows that we want a lot from him but we are going to give him the time to get back to what he was and what he can be.”
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Sir Alex and tearful mum see Rashford receive honorary degree
Rashford, who received an honorary doctorate from The University of Manchester earlier this month, has not played since England's Euro 2020 final defeat to Italy in July but returned to training during the international break.
“He does look fresh, he looks keen. He’s bulked up a little, some muscle. Of course he had to bear a lot of the responsibility for us because we’ve had injuries and at such a young age he’s done so much for the team and he’s done so much off the pitch as well," Solskjaer added.
“The time away for him was the time maybe to focus on himself and, I don’t want to say get back to being himself, but Marcus Rashford running around with that enthusiasm, not having to take on too much responsibility, is a great sight to see.
"He comes back into a different team. He’s got Jadon [Sancho] here, Mason’s [Greenwood] grown, Cristiano [Ronaldo] is here.”
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