REUTERS/Jon Super
Pinning the blame on the return of Marcus Rashford for Manchester United's recent woes is a little lazy, it must be said, the Englishman having been among the brightest sparks under Michael Carrick in recent weeks.
The trip to Fulham was arguably the 28-year-old's weakest performance so far, although he does appear to be carrying an injury, having subsequently pulled out of the England squad.
Considering how it all ended under Ruben Amorim, the high-profile forward is an easy target at Old Trafford, having left on a sour note back in January 2025.
Marcus Rashford under Ruben Amorim
And yet, to scapegoat the Englishman amid a difficult start to the season for United feels a little unfair, with it still worth figuring out just how to get the best out of him.
Why Rashford isn't the problem at Man Utd
On the one hand, the argument is that Rashford's reintegration has disrupted the rhythm of Carrick's forward line, a point backed up by Matheus Cunha netting his first Premier League goal of the season after shifting over to the left wing last time out.
REUTERS/Toby Melville
Equally too, United's new number nine is yet to register a goal or assist in all competitions, with any forward needing to be judged on the level of their end product.
And yet, Rashford was a Bryan Mbeumo miss away from registering an assist against Ipswich Town, while having created a stream of chances, ranking third in the division in fact in terms of total chances created (13).
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Chances Created - 26/27
Player
Gross
Gibbs-White
Rashford
Fernandes
Xhaka
Cherki
Odegaard
McAtee
There's been a demand to see him more involved where it really matters in the final third, although again he actually ranks in second place in terms of touches in the opposition box (33), behind only Fulham's Josh King in that regard.
He provides the width that Cunha doesn't in that role, the Brazilian notably proving anonymous after entering the fray in the defeat to Brighton and Hove Albion, having drifted far too much into the centre late on.
The bigger issue, undoubtedly, is the absence of Amad, with his return set to allow Mbeumo to shift into a number nine role again, with Cunha and Rashford then set to do battle off the left.
The Ivorian could be the key to unlocking Carrick's attack, while for Rashford and Cunha, a new left-back wouldn't go amiss.
How Man Utd can get the best out of Rashford with 2027 signing
The transfer window ended mere weeks ago, and those of a United persuasion are already looking ahead to January, having been left short in so many key positions.
Manchester United manager Michael Carrick reacts after the match
Manchester United manager Michael Carrick reacts after the match
Benjamin Sesko's long-standing shin injury has sparked the need for further competition at centre-forward, while one setback for Amad has laid bare how light the Red Devils actually are in terms of senior attacking options in general.
There's still no clear alternative to Bruno Fernandes either, while despite spending heavily at centre-back in the recent past, that department still remains particularly error- and injury-prone.
The most pressing issue may well be at left-back, however, with the decision not to sign a replacement for or understudy to Luke Shaw having already backfired.
Well, as reported by Football Insider, INEOS could look within the Premier League for a solution, with Crystal Palace's Tyrick Mitchell said to be 'extremely keen' on joining the club.
The belief is that the 27-year-old would 'find it hard' to turn United if an offer were to arrive, with prior reports indicating that the Englishman is also on the radar of Liverpool.
A product of Palace's academy, Mitchell's current deal is set to expire next summer, hence the level of interest in him, with January surely the perfect time to pounce.
REUTERS/Dylan Martinez
Such a signing would surely benefit Rashford, the flying forward so often at his best when aided by a reliable, consistent figure behind him, like in the case of Shaw.
There's been a clear link between Rashford's best seasons in a United shirt and the seasons in which Shaw has played the most minutes, not least in Premier League terms.
Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes, Luke Shaw, Marcus Rashford and Donny van de Beek during training
Excluding last term, when Rashford was out on loan, and the 2013/14 season at Southampton, Shaw has played the most top-flight minutes in 2020/21, 2018/19 and 2022/23. For the man ahead of him, those years saw Rashford score 11, ten and 17 league goals, respectively.
That correlation can't be a coincidence, and while the pair have been reunited again, Shaw's fitness woes remain a concern, the 31-year-old absent from the derby, while having sat out the meetings with Sabah and Brighton.
That could be where Mitchell comes to the fore, the long-serving Eagles star able to challenge his compatriot in that full-back berth, while providing the support Rashford needs ahead of him.
Indeed, having largely operated as a wing-back in recent years at Selhurst Park, the in-demand defender knows all about getting forward to support those ahead of him, only recently netting a brace against Fulham.
In 2024/25, for instance, Mitchell notably supplied five assists and created 11 'big chances', certainly showcasing a greater level of end product than United's current full-back pool.
REUTERS/Annegret Hilse
That would then ease the reliance on Rashford - or Cunha - to be Carrick's sole attacking threat down the left, with having a flying full-back in support only set to aid the ex-Barcelona loanee.
Yes, Rashford needs to up his game in terms of goal involvements and find a consistent level of performance, but he'd certainly have a better chance of doing that if supported by a truly fit and firing left-back like Mitchell.