After Manchester United’s recent struggles, Erik ten Hag urged his team to be as consistent as robots or machines. Marcus Rashford, the one “machine” he has been able to count on for the majority of the season, was present to help his squad get the season started.
The United forward’s incredible goal-scoring run continued in a match that his team had to win to keep up their pursuit of the top four, which now appears to be much tougher than it did just a few short weeks ago.
If Ten Hag is looking for machines, Rashford is one that produces goals at a tremendous rate. This output has covered up a number of other flaws that the new, but pragmatist, United manager has grown all too accustomed to.
United’s last league victory without a goal from Rashford came before the World Cup break and came in a win against Fulham. Without his extraordinary efforts, United’s goal difference would be much more pitiful than its current low plus-five.
After 326 torturous minutes and a win over Leicester, Rashford’s goal in minute 27 put an end to United’s league goalless streak that had dated back to February 19.
That was a figure that revealed a lot about how United’s season has faltered, at least in terms of the league standings, and it explains why ten Hag has made the position his top focus this summer.
At least the English forward was there for the Dutchman to rely on throughout his first season in command at Old Trafford, and Rashford’s comeback, which has seen him score a career-high 28 goals so far and counting, is the icing on top of ten Hag’s remarkable debut season.
And how desperately he needed them, given the glaring deficiencies that have emerged as the season progressed.
Even Wout Weghorst, a Ten Hag supporter, was sacrificed and put on the bench on Wednesday night because the situation was so bad and United threatened to play four league games without a goal for the first time in 34 years.
Although the Dutch striker values his work ethic, ten Hag was forced to bench him on Wednesday night despite the fact that he had started each of the 19 games since his unexpected loan arrival to United in January.
Weghorst would have at least had a good perspective from the United bench to admire Rashford’s first goal.
It originated from a corner that was cleared and returned by Antony into the Brentford area to midfielder Marcel Sabitzer, who cleverly headed the ball down to Rashford, who had found a few inches of room to maneuver.
From six yards away, Rashford collected himself and unleashed an unstoppable finish past Brentford keeper David Raya.
It served as an illustration of what United has sorely lacked this season and what they must get in the summer: a seasoned striker who is capable of scoring about 30 goals every single season.
But there hasn’t been much proof in other places—and again, there wasn’t any on Wednesday night—that any of Rashford’s teammates should be in such company.
In the first half, Scott McTominay, who has four goals in his last two appearances for Scotland, fired a hard shot just over, then Antony curled one of his signature left-foot shots just over.
However, they were infrequent threats made against Brentford, who inflicted ten Hag with a humiliating 4-0 loss in just his second game in charge of United in August.
However, both sides of halftime served as a reminder that Brentford’s season has been equally outstanding in its own right as United’s has been.
Ivan Toney had the only half-chance for Brentford in the first half shortly before the break, and immediately after the restart, David de Gea hesitated in clearing the ball and shot it directly against Toney. De Gea was relieved to see the rebound go just wide.
Once more, Hag might rely on Rashford to give his increasingly stuttering team some life. After torturing Pontus Jansson on his approach to the area, the striker’s shot was stopped by a wall of defenders. He then came dangerously close to connecting spectacularly with an Antony cross.
There were still some doubts, though, as de Gea had to make a good save from Kevin Schade of Brentford, who had been sent through by Toney after Raphael Varane slipped.