Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images
Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images
Sir Alex Ferguson and his Manchester United managerial counterparts would tackle Marcus Rashford differently amid the situation now facing Michael Carrick.
Marcus Rashford shared a heartfelt social media post on Thursday to mark the end of his Barcelona spell, following a season-long loan at the La Liga club.
The 28-year-old Manchester United forward is set to return to the Carrington training complex in early August for the pre-season tour under Michael Carrick.
While it is unclear if Rashford will remain at Old Trafford for the long term, Sir Alex Ferguson and Co have shown what role to use him in if he is reintegrated.
Marcus Rashford #11 of England is seen with his commemorative Bronze winner medal after the FIFA World Cup 26 Bronze Final match between France and England on July 18,2026 at Miami Stadium, in Miami Gardens, Fla.
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1. Sir Alex Ferguson’s message is clear: do not use Marcus Rashford as a Man Utd striker
Marcus Rashford has shared a close relationship with Manchester United manager Michael Carrick, both as a teammate and working under him at Old Trafford.
If the former Barcelona forward does not complete a loan move away this summer, Sir Alex Ferguson would not want to see Rashford deployed as a striker for United.
“Well, I don’t think he’s a striker,” he told Sky Sports in 2023.
“He operates from the left-hand side, which is fantastic. His finishing is always good, keeps his shots down, which is really important.
“He’s in a great vein of form and, unfortunately, for us, he’s the main source of goals; we could do with an extra one. But he’s doing it.”
READ MORE: Sir Alex Ferguson’s forgotten Man Utd stat showed rare shortcoming against one European team in his career
2. Jose Mourinho would follow Sir Alex Ferguson’s blueprint for using Marcus Rashford
Michael Carrick is all too familiar with Jose Mourinho after playing under the former Man Utd manager before sitting alongside him in his United coaching staff.
Jose Mourinho shared a similar stance to Ferguson over Rashford and the 63-year-old Portuguese coach would not want Carrick experimenting with him as a forward.
“By playing Marcus, which in my opinion is his best position, coming from the left to the centre and not when he’s the number nine,” he said on Sky Sports in 2019.
“On the counter-attack, yes, but when you are dominating possession, he’s not a player who plays well with his back to goal.
“So I always thought it was best for him to come from the side, especially from the left.”
READ MORE: The 15 Man Utd first-team stars who have not played in pre-season so far ahead of Atletico Madrid match
Marcus Rashford World Cup statistics
Marcus Rashford World Cup statistics
3. Louis van Gaal would want Michael Carrick to use Marcus Rashford as a Man Utd striker
It was clear that Louis van Gaal felt differently to Jose Mourinho and iconic former Man Utd manager Ferguson when it came to handling Rashford in his tactical set-up.
Rashford had made his United first-team debut under Louis van Gaal and the England star netted back-to-back braces against Midtjylland and Arsenal in 2016.
Van Gaal felt that the United youth academy product was best suited as a striker during his emergence, despite what Mourinho and Ferguson later thought.
“He is a real striker and that’s why I let him stay in that position because he can make goals,” he told Sky Sports in 2016.
“But he is also an attacking point and runs the channels. I like him very much. But he is 18 years old, so we have to wait and see how consistent he is.”
With Man Utd’s pre-season in full swing, it’s on Carrick now over whether he adopts the Van Gaal route or the Mourinho and Ferguson option for Rashford going forward.