Former Manchester United striker Dwight Yorke has tipped Marcus Rashford to thrive for the Red Devils during the 2022-23 campaign if he receives the right guidance.
The England international struggled to make his mark last term, managing only five goals and two assists in 31 appearances in all competitions.
There was a host of speculation surrounding the 24-year-old's future towards the end of the 2021-22 season, but he is staying at Old Trafford this summer to work with new head coach Erik ten Hag.
Yorke has said that Rashford needs "a little bit of love and attention" in order to help him rediscover the form that once saw him recognised as one of the best young talents in European football.
"Listen, I'm going to tell you as it is. I'm a huge fan. As I've said, I spent some time around the club and watched training very close. Marcus, for me, is one of the best players at Manchester United," Yorke, who currently manages Australian side Macarthur FC, told MUTV.
© Reuters
"As a coach now, a head coach, I'd be saying to him he will be playing. I remember my time at Aston Villa, when Brian Little came in. I was around 24 and he put his arm around me and said: 'Listen, you are my guy, my go-to guy'.
"When I look at what Rashford brings to the team, he's a local lad for starters and has been at the club ever since [he was a kid]. He is very passionate about the club. He is quick, fast, can jink past defenders. He can score, he can create. I think we've got a player there who somehow needs a little bit of love and attention and also needs to hear the correct words, as to you are in that team, you are one of my main guys.
"I think if Erik can certainly take my advice, and I know he is vastly more experienced than me, it's what I would be doing because I see a player. I was a player and I can see a player in Marcus, a guy who has an enormous amount of talent, an enormous amount of talent. Even in training, the kind of things he does.
"I'm just amazed he's not in a good place for some reason and that's part of the manager's job, to make sure he gets him back playing the kind of football I know Marcus can produce.
"It's just incredible. What I would be doing if I was Erik would be saying to Marcus: you are my guy, let's get going again. Show him some trust and believe in him. I am sure he will be producing the goods I know that he is capable of."
© Reuters
Rashford recently said that he was "ready and focused" for the new season, with the forward enjoying himself in the early stages of pre-season under Ten Hag.
"I have definitely not had that much rest before in a summer break, so it was a little bit strange at first and I had to adjust my program a little bit, make it a little bit longer, so I could come in with a positive look on everything, and like I say we are excited to go away [on tour] now. You feel every day now you are getting that one step sharper and one step fitter to being ready for the season," he told MUTV.
"I don't think I have had a proper pre-season since 2019 so for me it is definitely a positive thing. I feel like I probably needed that time to switch off a little bit and me having that time enabled me to refocus a lot earlier than I expected to be honest.
"It [the break] was just a few days over four weeks and I always split it in half, so I had two weeks when I was just relaxing and a little over two weeks when I was training so it's been a good period for me.
"Like I say, I feel ready and focused so when that first game does come it's good to know you have done almost six weeks of training beforehand. It will definitely be a positive."
Rashford, who has scored 93 goals and registered 57 assists in 302 appearances for Man United in all competitions, has travelled with the Red Devils squad to Thailand for the first leg of their pre-season tour and is expected to be in the starting lineup against Liverpool on July 12.
