Erik ten Hag calls out player who could be Man Utd's difference maker this season
Marcus Rashford, Christian Eriksen and Alejandro Garnacho each scored a brace and Antony netted a penalty as Manchester United thrashed Barnsley 7-0 in the Carabao Cup
by Scott Trotter · The MirrorErik ten Hag has declared Marcus Rashford 'a big guy' for Manchester United after the forward's brace against Barnsley.
The 26-year-old continued to show fine form in front of goal after scoring against Southampton in the Premier League, to bag two more efforts in United's 7-0 win over the Tykes. Rashford's goal against the Saints brought a six-month drought to an end for the academy product.
Last season saw a fallow period for Rashford as he managed to find the net just eight times. In Ten Hag's first season in charge of the club his charge racked up an impressive 30 goals.
The Dutch coach will be hopeful that he has assisted in once again unlocking Rashford's abilities, but was adamant that goals must come from more than one source after progressing to the Carabao Cup Fourth Round. The ex-Ajax boss admitted life is made easier when Rashford is on form however.
"The goals not only have to come from Marcus Rashford," Ten Hag said. "We need more goalscorers but I know from my first season here when he scores then it's [easier] for the team when you have a player in your squad who is a guarantee for goals.
"Then it can make the difference. You can do a lot of things very good between the boxes but football matches are decided in the box.
"I'm not only expecting this from Marcus Rashford, I expect it from others who are in the prime of their career but we also have some others who are high potentials, they are very hungry to score goals. But more important they want to win, to win games and win trophies.
"Confidence is a big part of it, it is not everything, there are also other parts but confidence is a big part and I think Rashford is a big guy. He's scored so many goals, he's one in the list of (current) United goalscorers, he is on top of it, so he is a big guy.
"But you are as good as your last game and every time you have to prove it. But I have even seen the biggest guys, the biggest football players, when they are not performing and when strikers are not scoring, they drop in confidence, it doesn't matter who."
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