Marcus Rashford needs a big season and talkSPORT experts are backing the Man United star to prove his doubters wrong and show why PSG were so keen to sign him

It’s sink or swim for Marcus Rashford this season.

The Manchester United star has had a season to forget but is being tipped to recapture the form that once made him one of the most lethal players in Europe.

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After progressing through the club’s academy, Rashford burst onto the scene at Old Trafford in 2016 and hit double figures in his first two full seasons as a first-team player.

In 2019/20 and 2020/21, Rashford went over the 20-goal mark, before a injury-hit campaign saw his tally dip – however, this was short-lived as he racked up 30 goals in all competitions in 2022/23.

It takes something to reach those kinds of numbers consistently and Rashford has shown in those campaigns that he has the x-factor.

This was due to his pace of running in behind defenders and his ability to instinctively hit the ball earlier than many would expect, resulting in his efforts to beat the goalkeeper with such convincing finishes.

It was this type of form that led European giants Paris Saint-Germain to be long-term admirers of the striker.

Expected to build on his prolific form in front of goal, Rashford struggled in the final quarter as off-field issues appeared to affect his on-field productivity.

Most notably, Rashford was spotted in a Belfast nightclub before reporting in sick for training the following morning.

This came just months after he was spotted in a nightclub following a 3-0 defeat to bitter rivals Man City.

With just eight goals to his name in the last term and a run of performances that left much to be desired, Rashford has been left out of England’s Euro 2024 squad by Gareth Southgate – a seismic blow to a player who is regarded as one of talents of the nation. strikers in recent years.

But while last season did not go to plan, the 26-year-old clearly has a point to prove this term and offered an early hint that he is fighting fit for this season after looking sharp and dangerous against Last weekend’s Community Shield at Wembley. .

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With fans desperate to see Rashford back to his best form, is this the season where Man United’s biggest star finds his feet again?

Here’s what talkSPORT’s pundits had to say about Rashford ahead of the new Premier League season, when talkSPORT Bet – download the app here – brought them together.

Ally McCoist

“I think it’s a massive season for Marcus Rashford.

“I said how disappointed I was with him, his team and the supporters last season, but I think he’s at a crossroads.

“It looks like he’s staying at Manchester United – you need a bit of certainty in your future and now he’s got that.

“He’s clearly disappointed with his own level of performance last year and, in my opinion, really missed England’s Euro squad.

“There’s a big question mark about his future and how he’s going to react to it, so it’s a massive season for him.”

Wes Brown

“I know what he can do. I’m actually excited to watch him because there’s a lot of pressure on him and I just hope he comes out on the other side.

“I hope all those who brought him down will return to them.”

Emile Heskey

“I’ve seen him retire and this is another chance for him to do that.

“We know what he’s capable of. He might look the other way but a lot of people are rooting for him to get back up because he’s a fantastic player and we know what he’s capable of.

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“Now it’s time for him to show it.”

Phil Bardsley

“It’s a huge season for him. It’s obviously a bit of a reality check for him not to be picked for England – it can hurt your ego a bit.

“Fair play to him, he took it upon himself this summer and took a bit of a break and then got back on the horse.

“It’s important that when you’re down in this game you have to get back up quickly and he did that.

“There are some good noises from the training ground about the work he is putting in and hopefully he can transfer that onto the field.

“He’s definitely a player who has great ability and to have a year like last year was not up to his standards.

“It’s probably a time to reflect and go again this season. I hope he can match the 30 goals he scored last season.”

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The Premier League returns on Friday and talkSPORT has the first two games of the season live – including Man United’s clash with Fulham, which is live exclusively on talkSPORT