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Former Manchester United defender Jaap Stam has delivered his verdict on Red Devils superstar Marcus Rashford. The Dutchman reckoned that the winger's teammates need to raise their level of performance to enable him to be at the top of his game.
Marcus Rashford started the 2024-25 campaign on a bright note. The Englishman has bagged four goals and two assists for Manchester United in 11 appearances across all competitions so far. However, he still hasn't managed to recreate the elite performances from earlier in his career.
During a Question and Answer session with ViaPlay, Jaap Stam was asked about the 26-year-old. The Dutchman was blunt with his response, stating that the winger needs to be surrounded by better players at Manchester United.
“Rashford needs a club with players who make him play better football. When you see him at the moment, you see that people expect a lot from him and his way of playing," he said. “But he can’t show that now. As soon as the players around him perform better, Rashford will follow.”
Jaap Stam also called on Marcus Rashford to self-reflect and identify the areas where he's struggling to improve.
"An important aspect: it is also up to him. If you look at what he achieved a few years ago and what he is showing now," the Dutchman continued. "Then he has to look in the mirror and ask himself. What can I do differently so that I and the team perform better?”
Marcus Rashford's recent struggles have produced drastic consequences. The attacker missed out on England's squad for the European Championships in the summer. However, things appear to be getting better with the 26-year-old's promising start to the term.
How Manchester United have fared so far this season
Manchester United kicked off the 2024-25 campaign with a penalty shootout loss to Manchester City in the Community Shield on August 10. They then managed to beat Fulham 1-0 in their Premier League opener at Old Trafford on August 16.
So far, the side have recorded two victories, one draw and three defeats to their name in seven Premier League games and currently occupies the 14th position in the table with eight points. They've also drawn each of their two Europa League games versus Twente (1-1) and Porto (3-3) but managed to beat Barnsley 7-0 in the EFL Cup.
Up next, Erik ten Hag's men will lock horns with Brentford in the Premier League at Old Trafford this weekend (October 19). The last time these two sides met, they played out a 1-1 draw at the Gtech Community Stadium, with both goals coming in injury time.
