Patrice Evra shares his thoughts on what Man Utd should do about Marcus Rashford’s situation.
Patrice Evra has shared his thoughts on the “really tricky” situation with Marcus Rashford and Manchester United.
Rashford spent last season on loan at Barcelona and recently returned to training at Carrington. He even played in United’s pre-season game against AC Milan, marking his first match for the club since December 2024.
Michael Carrick, United’s head coach, seems open to using Rashford more this season. Before their Premier League opener against Hull City, Carrick praised Rashford, saying, “It’s clear since Marcus came back that he’s doing great. He’s enjoying football, looks fit, sharp, strong, and ready to play.”
Carrick also said Rashford can play as a centre-forward, though it’s not his usual spot, but he can manage it well.
With the transfer window closing soon, it looks more likely that Rashford will stay at Old Trafford, especially since Barcelona decided not to use the €30 million buy option in his loan deal.
As Rashford’s future is still being talked about, former United defender Patrice Evra gave his opinion. Speaking to SPORTbible, Evra said, “This is really tricky. Sometimes when players come back to their club, they don’t do as well. But that’s not the case with Marcus because people were unhappy when he left on loan.”
He added, “If Marcus comes back and remembers he’s a Manchester player, he can do great. But the pressure needs to be lower. Fans often blame him if he doesn’t make the runs they want. As a manager, I’d want him in my team. Communication is key. It’s important to hear what Michael Carrick says to Rashford to bring out his best – telling him to ignore the media and pressure and that he trusts him.”
Evra continued, “I want the best for Marcus because he still has it. He’s not old. But coming back to your old club is never easy or perfect right away.”
Evra also shared his thoughts on United’s transfers and their title hopes. “I’m happy with Tielemans and Santos coming in. We lost Casemiro, which is tough to replace, but these two can help fix things. I also hope Kobbie Mainoo gets more playing time. I like Carrick a lot, and I think United have some new hope.”
“But to win the title? Not yet. I don’t get why we didn’t sign a big striker like Victor Osimhen. We need one badly,” Evra said. “We also need a left-back to support Luke Shaw, who has many injuries. Dorgu can play left-back, but he’s better as a winger.”
He pointed out that the midfield needs strengthening so Bruno Fernandes can focus more on attack. “Midfield is the problem.”
On other teams, Evra said, “Arsenal look strong — they’re the most complete team now. They had a long wait for a title, but that pressure is off them. Now it’s up to their motivation if they want to keep winning. I won three league titles in a row with United because we were always motivated. If Arsenal keeps that drive, I think they’ll do well.”
About Liverpool and Chelsea, he said, “I don’t know what’s going on with Liverpool. Chelsea might surprise people. I like their coach Maresca, who has done great things.”
As for Manchester City, Evra added, “People forget City have very good players even though Pep Guardiola left. They’ll strengthen the squad.”
Finally, on Tottenham, he said, “I’m a big fan of De Zerbi. Many thought Spurs might get relegated, but I told my friends there’s no way. I believe in this coach, and we’ll see how they do.”
So, Evra’s top five for the season? Arsenal, City, United, Chelsea, and Tottenham — and he’s excited to see how it all plays out!