Man United fans decide on Marcus Rashford after noticing something new in his first start in 21 months
Marcus Rashford made his first Manchester United start in 626 days as Michael Carrick’s team welcomed Ipswich Town to Old Trafford.
After coming off the bench during the surprising 2-0 loss to Hull City, Carrick put Rashford in the starting lineup alongside Diogo Dalot, Kobbie Mainoo, and Lisandro Martinez.
Rashford played in his favorite spot on the left wing, with Bruno Fernandes and Bryan Mbeumo supporting Matheus Cunha up front.
After a summer full of questions, Man United fans weren’t sure if they’d see Rashford back in the squad at Old Trafford.
The 28-year-old was expected to leave following a strong loan spell at Barcelona, where he helped the team win LaLiga with 28 goal involvements across all competitions.
Barcelona chose not to trigger the £26 million option to buy him this summer and instead signed Anthony Gordon from Newcastle United. This left Rashford in limbo after spending the second half of the 2024/25 season on loan at Aston Villa.
Rashford moved to Aston Villa after being left out by Ruben Amorim, who felt Rashford wasn’t giving his best in training or following tactical and discipline rules.
Despite many rumors about moves—including a surprise link to Arsenal—it looks like Rashford might stay at United beyond the September 1 deadline.
Carrick’s choice to start Rashford for the first time since December 2024 supports this idea, and fans have already shared their thoughts on his game.
Rashford took the spot of Patrick Dorgu on the left, who had struggled in the defeat to Hull.
United’s No. 9 brings more speed and threat down the wing, and one fan quickly noticed his pace and aggressive play in the first half.
“Marcus Rashford is giving Manchester United something Patrick Dorgu couldn’t last week — a real wide threat. He’s driving inside, taking on defenders, and causing problems,” a fan said.
Early in the game, Rashford looked lively on the wing, using his speed and strength to trouble Ipswich’s defense.
Many also praised him for tracking back to help Luke Shaw, a skill he’s been criticized for before.
“Rashford tracking back and winning the ball… things you love to see,” one fan wrote. Another added, “Rashford lost the ball but chased back like crazy to get it back. This is what #MUFC fans want!”
One even joked, “Rashford tracking back and tackling?” followed by a laughing emoji, showing surprise at his effort.
Meanwhile, another fan was skeptical, saying, “Rashford doing this ‘giving it his all’ thing for one game, then he’ll be lazy next week.”
Rashford showed flashes of his old form and came close to scoring early on, but United’s defense let in a goal from Leif Davis. Bruno Fernandes managed to equalize before halftime, keeping the game level.