This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…
Speaking to ESPN FC, Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford has insisted that he is still yet to hit the peak years of his career.
What did he say?
The England international has had a roller-coaster ride of a season, getting his campaign off to a flying start with a brace against Chelsea, before going on a miserable run of just one Premier League goal in seven games.
However, following his strike against Liverpool, he appears to have hit top form again, notching three times in his last four top-flight games. And speaking ahead of the Red Devils’ clash against Sheffield United at the weekend, Rashford declared that the best is yet to come.
He said: “In reality, my peak is not going to be for another four or five years. As good as things are now, they can only get better. I just use these experiences now in my favour to better me in the future, because I know when I’m 25, 26, 27, they’re the years when I’m going to be playing my best football. I’m just looking ahead to those times really and improving as much as I can until then.”
Scary prospect
It is quite easy to forget that Rashford remains only 22-years-old. It feels like the United academy product has been around for ages, and that remarkable breakthrough week when he scored against both FC Midtjylland and Arsenal back in early 2016 seems such a long time ago.
He has already played 187 times for the Red Devils, and there is no reason why he can’t eventually become one of the club’s top appearance makers (injuries permitting of course). And with 54 goals to his name too, the forward’s declaration that he isn’t even close to reaching his potential, is a scary proposition indeed.
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He has now had years of honing his craft amidst all the spotlight of being one of United’s main men, and that will only serve him in good stead. The Red Devils have a huge reason to be excited, whilst the rest of the Premier League should be concerned. Defences have already seen what Rashford can do now, so they will no doubt be worried what he could be capable of in the future once he has fully developed and grown.