Man Utd have lost their last three games in all competitions and conceded quick-fire goals in each, with Saturday’s trip to Burnley already feeling like a must win.
Marcus Rashford has pinpointed the reason behind United’s defensive issues. View pictures in App save up to 80% data.
Marcus Rashford has pinpointed the reason behind United’s defensive issues.
Marcus Rashford believes an inability to adjust during matches is why Manchester United are conceding multiple goals in quick succession.
United have endured a torrid start to the season, losing their last three in all competitions. Wednesday’s 4-3 Champions League defeat at Bayern Munich was their third in a row and another example of conceding two quick-fire goals after a promising start.
There were just four minutes between goals from Leroy Sane and Serge Gnabry, while against Brighton last weekend there were just 18 minutes between their second and third goals. Arsenal scored twice in five minutes while Nottingham Forest did so in just two minutes.
“The first thing is, I don’t care what role you have in the squad or management, when Man United are losing games it’s a difficult place to be,” Rashford told MUTV. “From periods where we’ve been in this situation before there is only one way out.
“Each individual has to look themselves in the mirror and know they’ll give everything for the badge. You know you’ve got the ability or you wouldn’t be here.
“We need to tighten up a few things in the defensive organisation from front to back and play the game. Each game requires slightly different things and at times we’re expecting a game to go one way and if it’s not, we’re struggling to adjust.
“That’s why I feel like if teams score one they end up scoring a second straight after, [because] we’re taking too long to adjust. But one good result and good performance can turn it around and I’m doing everything I can to make sure everyone’s not too down.
“I know it’s difficult and I’m not as happy as I want to be but there’s only one way to get there and that’s results.”
United have a chance to end that run when they travel to Burnley on Saturday evening. In the midst of such a terrible run of form, it is already feeling like a mist win for Erik ten Hag. Rashford insists his side have shown in moments how good they can be but knows they must do so for 90 minutes.
“Whichever the next game is – Burnley, City, Liverpool – it’s the most important game for us, simple as that,” the Reds striker added. “We’ve played against good opposition, let’s not get things twisted, but we’ve shown how good we can be and it’s frustrating when we are not playing at that level.
“We don’t need other people to tell us that, we know that, were the ones on the pitch. You don’t want anything more than to get back to that standard and then you want to push on. For us it’s about finding it again, sticking as a team and taking it game by game to get back on track.
