Ten Hag decision a stroke of genius, he’s turbo-charging Man Utd’s most important player

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Erik ten Hag had a little dilemma up front against Barnsley, and his decision was the right one.

With Rasmus Hojlund still not ready to return, Erik ten Hag had a choice to make. Stick with Joshua Zirkzee against Barnsley, or rest him and select teenager Ethan Wheatley.

The actually solution turned out to be quite obvious – go with Marcus Rashford.

It was a smart call, allowing both Antony and Alejandro Garnacho to get much needed starts out wide, while giving Rashford an extra chance to get on the scoresheet.

• READ MORE: Who is Marcus Rashford? Inside the life of Man Utd’s book-writing, government-tackling ace

Marcus Rashford builds a new streak

Marcus Rashford may be football’s ultimate confidence player. We have seen time and time again how his goals arrive in bunches.

After netting his season opener against Southampton days prior, it really was important for Erik ten Hag to find a way to get Rashford into the team.

Starting as striker is not Rashford’s preferred role, but it was imperative just to get him on the pitch, and he was more than capable of producing against Barnsley.

Rashford took only 16 minutes to break the deadlock and put Manchester United 1-0 up.

It was an instinctive finish, symptomatic of a confident player, one who Rio Ferdinand said he saw smiling in training on his recent visit to Carrington.

Rashford provided the pass which led to Antony winning a penalty, and then created the third goal for Alejandro Garnacho.

In the second half he added another goal, before being substituted just after an hour, with Ten Hag looking to preserve him for the weekend, with a brace in the bag.

United went on to win 7-0, a confidence boosting night for the entire team.

Turbo-charging United’s most important player

Marcus Rashford has been Manchester United’s most important player in recent seasons, because when he is on form, so are the rest of the team.

Rashford scored 30 goals in 2022/23 and the team finished in the top three. He was off his game last season, netting just eight, and the team finished in eighth place.

This pattern has repeated for the past four years, alternately. A high goal return leads to a top four finish for United, but when the goals dry up, so does the team’s record.

Erik ten Hag knows he needs to get Rashford into form to get United kicking on, and by picking him against Barnsley, he has turbo-charged his key player.

Rashford looks confident, and this is vital for United heading into a key stretch, facing Palace away this weekend. Back him to get on the scoresheet again and continue his new streak.